GE Brings PTAC Production Back from Overseas to the US
Packaged terminal air conditioner line will begin production in first quarter of 2016
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — GE announced that its packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) formerly produced overseas will now be manufactured at its Appliance Park facility in Louisville, Kentucky. The new Zoneline® units, mainly used in the hotel/motel industry, will start full production in the first quarter of 2016.
GE Zoneline PTAC models were made at Appliance Park from 1961 until 1987 when manufacturing of the product was outsourced overseas. The new Zoneline units will be manufactured at Appliance Park in the same building as the company’s GeoSpring™ hybrid water heaters, becoming the second new product platform brought to Appliance Park in nearly 50 years. The first was GeoSpring, introduced in 2012 as part of a $1 billion investment GE made in its U.S. appliance manufacturing facilities.
The new Zoneline production line represents a $40 million investment. One hundred operators will man the line, 75 of whom will occupy new jobs.
“The existing Zoneline products have served our customers well, but as the hotel/motel industry becomes increasingly more competitive, customers are looking for every advantage to ensure their guests have the best experience possible,” said Liz VerSchure, product general manager for consumer comfort. “We have taken the most important aspects of heating and cooling the traveler’s room into account with our new design, so both the guests and our customers can rest easy at night. Plus, with new design and appearance improvements, it looks great.”
GE said the new Zoneline is engineered to be more reliable, quiet, energy efficient, and easier to install and maintain, all features that are critical to hotel/motel customers. Hospitality industry data shows that when guests are not pleased with the noise or temperature in their room, two-thirds are not very likely to return to the hotel and one-third are not very likely to recommend a hotel.
For more information, visit www.ge.com/appliances.
Publication date: 10/9/2015
Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!
Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
