Alarko Carrier Exports $30 Million in 2024

Alarko Carrier, a leading brand in the air-conditioning sector, protected its revenues through exports in 2024 despite continued economic uncertainty.

Alarko Carrier, which has undertaken special and Turkey's first projects in centralized air-conditioning systems, maintained its position in the sector through year-round campaigns and efficiency initiatives. We have compiled the 2024 assessments and 2025 expectations of Alarko Carrier General Manager Cem Akan.

What are your expectations for the air-conditioning sector and Alarko Carrier in 2025?

In 2025, we expect a decline in inflation within the framework of monetary policies. We also anticipate that exchange rates will remain below inflation. We believe the market will revive somewhat in the second half of the year with interest rate cuts. For this reason, we have structured 2025 as a year of 'focus and restructuring.' We will continue to work on efficiency, digitalization, improving customer experience and integrating it into our services, and our sustainability projects. In our 70th year, we renewed our corporate identity, which we are rolling out to all our dealers, and have begun welcoming our customers in entirely new concepts. Alarko Carrier has always been a stable brand investing in the future, and we are preparing ourselves for the next 10 years.

During this period, we obtained various training and certifications. For example, we obtained VDE certification for our circulation pumps. When we obtained this certification, we were able to make certified exports to all of Europe. For this reason, it will be a period in which we will concentrate our export routes on Europe. We will launch our environmentally friendly R454B gas roof-type air conditioners to the market next year. Again, next year the prototype of our hydrogen-powered combi boiler will be ready. However, we do not plan to move to mass production. It will take some time for it to be commercialized and move to mass production; we are preparing ourselves for future demands.

How did you fare economically in 2024?

In particular, the air-conditioning sector, we are a sector close to durable consumer goods. Despite this, through our campaigns and services, we managed to overcome the stagnation in the sector. This year we conducted a one-day installation campaign and achieved 90 percent customer satisfaction. There were calls from people saying 'We cannot find air conditioners. Please help us; we cannot sleep at night.' Our lifetime warranty commitment on Toshiba brand air conditioners also received significant interest.

It was another year in which we achieved firsts in exports; 2024 was our best year in exports. With our global-scale export projects, we continue to add value to Turkey. Air-conditioning plants, combi boilers, boilers, circulation pumps, fan coils and roof-type air conditioners make up a large portion of our export products. Our exports to approximately 70 countries ranging from Australia to Germany, from the Middle East to African countries, account for 16 percent of revenues, up 30 percent in share compared to the previous year. We conduct 80 percent of our boiler exports to the United States. We grew by 20 percent in individual air conditioners and 25 percent in heat pumps. We maintained our market leadership in submersible pumps.

We reached approximately USD 30 million in exports. We are the sector leader in products that we produce and export from our Gebze Plant. For 11 years we have received awards from the Air-Conditioning Manufacturers Exporters Association (İSİB) in this regard. This year we began producing air-conditioning systems for oil platforms. An oil platform is established at sea, and it is a rather challenging system.

How did you prepare?

Installing an air-conditioning system on an oil drilling platform has very interesting conditions. In the middle of the sea, there is a corrosion risk and a flammable product is being drilled. The product must be completely non-flammable. It must be a product that will not deteriorate for 20 years because no intervention can be made on-site. We had to conduct special research down to its bolts; you even have to undergo five days of training just to board the platform. We are pleased to be the first brand in Turkey to produce this system. Now we have begun working on products for data centers, where air-conditioning systems are very important.

Climate events have become increasingly visible; has there been an increase in demand for environmentally friendly products in our country?

Heat pumps are among the most environmentally friendly products, the product of the future. There has been tremendous state support for this in Europe until this year. However, with the reduction in incentives, there have been declines in sales. In Turkey, there are no incentives for heat pumps. The sector also has a demand in this regard. While hundreds of thousands are sold in Europe, sales in Turkey are around fifteen thousand, preferred in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions. However, this issue needs to be viewed from the big picture in the long term. The benefits of heat pumps will be visible in the coming periods. A formula that could reduce natural gas purchases, which would also reduce the current account deficit. If you give residents who have set up the entire system a 50 percent incentive, you can see the results ten years later.