Daikin

Daikin Industries, Ltd. (ダイキン工業株式会社) is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Osaka.[5][6]

History

Daikin Industries Ltd was founded in 1924 as Ōsaka Metalworking Industries LP (大阪金属工業所) by Akira Yamada. In 1953, Daiflon or polychlorotrifluoroethylene was developed. In 1963 the company was renamed Daikin Industries, Ltd. (ダイキン工業株式会社) and developed Neoflon. In 1982 it was renamed to the current Daikin Industries Ltd.

Daikin entered the North American air conditioning market in 2004.[7]

In 2006, Daikin Industries acquired McQuay International, a Minneapolis, Minnesota–based global corporation that designs, manufacturers and sells commercial, industrial and institutional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products.[8]

Centennial celebration

On April 28, 2024, Daikin Philippines President Takayoshi Miki hosted Daikin's first fun run, “Daikin: Run for Clean Air 2024” at Bridgetowne with 800 runners.[27] On May 21, 2024, Daikin Industries, led by President & CEO, Masanori Togawa with Chief global group officer and board chair, Noriyuk Inhoue, celebrated its centennial founding with a commemorative ceremony attended by 2,000 at The Symphony Hall to further support its "Forests for the Air" project.[28]

PFAS pollution and lawsuits

In 2005, Daikin and 3M paid $4 million in a US settlement over water contamination with perfluorinated compounds in Decatur, Alabama, the site of several chemical production facilities.[29] In 2017 Daikin agreed to pay $5 million to the West Morgan-East Lawrence authority for an advanced water purification filter. The authority had advised residents not to drink the water in 2016 due to PFAS contamination.[30] In 2021 Daikin, 3M, Toray, BFI Waste Systems, and Synagro paid a $98.5 million settlement with the city of Decatur over PFAS dumping in Morgan County.[31]

A 2004 study by Kyoto University Professor Akio Koizumi identified Daikin as the source of PFOA pollution in the Yodo river.[32][33] In 2020 a Settsu city survey in Osaka found elevated levels of PFAS contamination in groundwater and waterways. One well used to irrigate crops was found to have levels 420 times over the national average. In 2021 blood tests of 9 residents living near Daikin's Yodogawa factory revealed elevated levels of PFAS, the highest in a 69-year old man 70 times the national average.[34] Daikin had suspended production of PFAS-based water repellents in 2012 and stated the risks were “only possibly carcinogenic, like how pickled vegetables are” and that the water in Daikin's wastewater treatment tanks as "clean enough to drink" at a city council meeting. Daikin later issued retractions towards the "clean enough to drink" statement.[35] Production and export of perfluorinated compounds in Japan have been banned since 2021.[36]

type	Public
traded as	tyo: 6367 TOPIX Large 70 Component Nikkei 225 Component
foundation	October 25, 1924
founder	Akira Yamada
location	Osaka Umeda Twin Towers South, 1-13-1 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0001, Japan
key people	Masanori Togawa (CEO and president)
industry	Conglomerate
products	Home appliances Chemicals Medical equipment Electronics Oil hydraulics Defense systems
revenue	¥4,395 trillion ($29.8B) (2024)‡R1R‡
operating income	¥392.1 billion ($2.66B) (2024)‡R1R‡
num employees	98,162 (2024)‡R1R‡
homepage	daikin.com
footnotes	‡R2R‡‡R3R‡‡R4R‡

History

Centennial celebration

PFAS pollution and lawsuits

Business divisions and products

Daikin Industries, Ltd.

External links

References