Daikin Applied Breaks Ground for New Training Center
A MINNESOTA GROUNDBREAKING: Daikin Applied held a groundbreaking ceremony recently for its planned $30 million Solutions & Technical Institute in Plymouth, Minnesota. The facility will be a training center for technical, engineering, service, and sales talent.
MINNEAPOLIS — Daikin Applied has broken ground on a $30 million Solutions & Technical Institute in Plymouth, Minnesota.
From high-efficiency cooling to data center applications, HVAC systems are becoming more advanced, and workforce capability is emerging as a critical differentiator. Recent industry reports forecast a shortage of thousands of HVAC technicians by 2030, highlighting the need for expanded training and hands-on experience.
Daikin Applied is investing in the people, expertise, and learning environments needed to support the next generation of HVAC solutions across commercial buildings, healthcare facilities, schools, factories, data centers, and other mission-critical buildings, a company press release said.
“The demands placed on our industry are evolving rapidly and workforce capability has become a true differentiator,” said Yu Nishiwaki, Daikin Applied COO. “The Daikin Applied Solutions & Technical Institute reflects our commitment to developing the next generation of technical, engineering, service, and sales talent while helping our customers succeed in an increasingly complex environment. We are investing in the people, knowledge, and capabilities that will power the future of our industry.”
With the goal of providing an immersive learning environment that goes beyond traditional classroom instruction, the Solutions & Technical Institute is expected to open in 2027. Its features, according to the press release, will include:
• More than 50 fully functional Daikin HVAC units to be used for real-world troubleshooting and system-level learning.
• Up to 120 training pathways focused on advanced controls, diagnostics, system optimization, and sustainable technologies.
• A state-of-the-art digital studio to extend training access to teams, customers, and partners around the world.
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• Nine classrooms and six breakout spaces to support technical, engineering, sales, and leadership development across 64,000 square feet, with the ability to expand by an additional 40,000 square feet.
By equipping technicians, engineers, sales professionals, and customer-facing teams with deeper practical knowledge, Daikin Applied is strengthening customer outcomes, accelerating workforce development, and helping close critical skills gaps across the HVAC industry, the press release said.
The investment complements Daikin Applied’s planned $163 million state-of-the-art research and development test lab in Plymouth, Minnesota. Scheduled to open in 2027, the lab will serve as a premier testing ground for both advanced cooling solutions — including technologies for hyperscale data centers — and the highly skilled engineers and technicians needed to develop them, the press release said.
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