McQuay International, a manufacturer and distributor of the air conditioning equipment for industrial, commercial and residential sectors, became part of Daikin Group in 2006, which placed the company as a dominant worldwide player in HVAC systems. Today, the company has around 12 manufacturing plants on three continents – Asia, America and Europe – dedicated to producing air handling units, air cooled chillers and fan coils. Daikin, the parent company, is a Japanese air conditioning leader and has strong global market positions in ductless residential and commercial air conditioners, as well as small chillers. The firm opened a Middle East branch in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone, which has been operational since March 2006. The branch serves Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Sudan. In the long-term, it will also serve Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and Iraq. In June last year, the Daikin McQuay Pathfinder air-cooled chiller, the first in the Daikin McQuay family of product, was launched. It was designed to exceed HVAC industry standards for operating efficiency and low sound levels.