AHRI opens office in China

USA: The Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has opened its first office outside North America in Hefei, China.

AHRI  says the new office will allow it direct access to members and the rapidly growing number of certification programme participants in Asia and the Middle East.

“Our globally recognised certification programme is growing steadily worldwide, as is demand for AHRI standards,” said AHRI president and CEO Stephen Yurek. “This requires AHRI to have a stronger presence in Asia to promote our standards and manage manufacturer participants and oversee lab testing. At the same time, we are a trade membership organisation that attracts members from across the globe, and this office will allow us to better serve those members.”

More than 60 industry representatives attended the grand opening of the office last week. In addition to member companies and certification programme participants, the audience included government officials and senior representatives from the China Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (CRAA) and the General Machinery Product Inspection Institute (GMPI).

Representatives from several AHRI member companies were also present, as were AHRI staff, including Yurek, Henry Hwong, and Bridge Xue, who will head the new office.

In addition to its headquarters office in Arlington, Virginia, the AHRI also maintains an office in Ontario, Canada.