The Journal interviewed Sridar Narayanswami, VP and MD at Emerson’s Commercial & Residential Solutions Platform, India

Journal: What has been the focus of Emerson in the last one year in India?
Sridar Narayanswami: Emerson has focused on new refrigerants like R410, and partnering with potential customers to develop compressors for ducted R32 AC systems. It has introduced new technologies for railway air conditioning. Mumbai’s first air conditioned train has completed its test run with Emerson compressors, and we are developing horizontal compressors for Mumbai Metro. We have also focused on speed modulation with inverter technology. And we now have a fully equipped R32 test lab.
J: What have been your activities in the field of refrigeration?
SN: We have developed niche products like condensing units for transport refrigeration using R134A. For the cold chain industry, we are moving from smaller capacity condensing units to large cold storages with single and multiple compressors, and racks of 100 HP and above – all built locally at the Cold Chain Center at Chakan. Bulk milk coolers need to chill milk to less than 4°C in two hours. We have developed technology to chill milk in two stages – to 10°C in the first stage, and to 4°C in the second stage.
J: Are you adding manufacturing capacity to cater to the growing cold chain market in India?
SN: After the success of our Cold Chain Center at Chakan, we have opened our second such center in India at Gurgaon (Haryana). It has facilities for simulation, training, project design, and troubleshooting help for semihermetic compressors.
J: What has Emerson done to support ‘Make in India’?
SN: We have designed and made in India 5,00,000 compressors in the last two years. We are also exporting compressors to the Middle East with improved energy efficiency; our reciprocating compressors have the highest efficiency in the world.