TAMPA BAY - Carrier Corp. announced the launch of the Toshiba-Carrier brand in North America during the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) national convention. Under the Toshiba-Carrier brand, Carrier will offer high-efficiency, duct-free split heat pumps with efficiency ratings of up to 23 SEER, including a line of Energy Star®-compliant and tax credit-eligible units.

The Toshiba-Carrier brand will feature two high-efficiency, duct-free inverter heat pump product families: Residential tax-credit eligible and Energy Star-compliant inverter high-wall systems, ranging from 0.75 ton to 2 tons with efficiency ratings up to 23 SEER and 10 HSPF, and the Super Digital Inverter light commercial under-ceiling, cassette and high-wall systems, ranging from 1.5 to 3 tons with efficiency ratings up to 21 SEER and 11.9 HSPF, many of which are both tax credit-eligible and Energy Star-compliant.

With the addition of the Toshiba-Carrier duct-free inverter heat pumps to Carrier’s current inverter and fixed-speed, duct-free line, the company says it has the largest capacity range of duct-free split products in North America.

“We offer products up to 23 SEER and with HSPF ratings up to 11.9 in a variety of fan coil types and compressor technologies, which allows our customers the flexibility to pick the right product for the right application,” said Bob McDonough, president of Carrier Residential and Light Commercial Systems. “We now have the broadest capacity range of tax credit eligible duct-free product.”

Toshiba Corp. and Carrier Corp. formed a joint venture in 1999 to capitalize on Toshiba’s strength in innovation and Carrier’s strength in global distribution. Products manufactured by Toshiba-Carrier Corp. have been sold in Japan and the rest of the world for more than 10 years, but this is the first time a Toshiba-Carrier branded line will be sold in North America. The products have been recognized annually with the prestigious Energy Conservation Grand Prize in Japan.

“With our unmatched duct-free product offering, we expect Toshiba-Carrier products to receive a warm welcome in North America,” said Akira Inoue, executive vice president of Toshiba-Carrier Corp. “The North American launch is an important part of our growth plan.”

According to Greg Alcorn, vice president Carrier commercial sales and marketing, “Training for this brand among contractors and distributors has focused on product technical training, not on selling. This type of product is easy to install and service, and that is the message we have been sending to our channel partners.”

The products will be managed through Carrier’s Residential and Light Commercial Systems division and distributed through Carrier’s exclusive channel. Toshiba-Carrier duct-free inverter heat pumps are manufactured in Japan and Thailand.

Toshiba-Carrier Corp. is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Publication date:05/17/2010