The Chinese air conditioning industry is well-equipped and supplies 60% of the world’s air conditioners (AC). According to China Customs data, China exported 1.495 million air conditioners in 2023, with more than one-fifth of them going to the US. If you’re in the air conditioner business, it’s crucial to understand:
Guangdong dominates air conditioner production and exports.
Guangdong manufacturing hub ranks first in both air conditioner production and exports, significantly surpassing other places. For example, in 2023, Guangdong exported 816,899 air conditioners, accounting for 50%+ of China’s total air conditioner exports. Many major Chinese air conditioner brands, such as Midea, Gree, Haier, Chigo, and TCL, have their factories in Foshan, Guangdong.
Additionally, numerous smaller brands also operate factories in Foshan, leveraging the resources of larger manufacturers to purchase budget-friendly components such as plastic casings, motors, and electronic components, and assembling them together. Typically, these small factories are not qualified for export, without warranty services. But their air conditioners are priced at half the cost of branded ones.
Air conditioner sourcing example of JingSourcing
A real estate client in the US wanted to purchase 1,000 units of 12000 BTU split AC for renovating his rental properties. He had no specific brand requirements, as long as the price was low and the quality was moderate. Additionally, he had a maintenance team, so there were no concerns about warranty issues.
Our agent Joe contacted over a dozen AC factories and finally found one in Foshan that offered a quote of only $230 per unit. We ordered 1,000 units, which were loaded into 5 40HQ containers, with shipping costs totaling $30,000. This means an average shipping cost of only $30 per unit. Compared to the average price of $800 for 12000 BTU AC machines on Amazon, our client paid just $260 per unit, saving a significant amount of money.
Anhui AC production volume is half that of Guangdong's.
As a significant hub in the home appliance industry, Anhui Province holds the 2nd position in AC production within China. One out of every five air conditioners in China originates from Anhui. For instance, in 2023, Anhui Province exported 230,583 air conditioners, constituting 15% of China’s total exports.
The home appliance industry clusters of Anhui primarily thrive in Hefei, Wuhu, and Chuzhou, supplemented by cities like Ma’anshan. Notably, major brands like Gree and Midea have production bases in Hefei. Additionally, the Aux air conditioner brand set up a factory in Dangtu County, Ma’anshan, in 2017. This small county boasts a well-developed air conditioner industry chain, encompassing household, commercial, and automotive AC machines.
AC made in Hubei + Chongqing + Zhejiang + Shandong = Guangdong's.
The air conditioner production of Hubei, Chongqing, Zhejiang, and Shandong, ranked third to sixth in China, combined equals the production of Guangdong province alone.
Zhejiang AC production is mainly in Ningbo and Huzhou.
Aux is Zhejiang’s local air conditioner brand, with its factory in Ningbo, serving as the exclusive AC supplier for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou.
Another production base is in Huzhou City. For example, Hisense has a factory in Huzhou, busy dealing with AC machine export orders from September to around April of the following year. Hisense window air conditioners and dehumidifiers are popular in markets such as the US, Mexico, and Canada.
As another important manufacturing and trading center in China, Zhejiang Province’s AC export volume is second only to Guangdong’s. In 2023, its export volume accounted for 17% of China’s total air conditioner exports.
Hubei AC production mainly concentrates in Wuhan.
Wuhan, as the capital city of Hubei province, gathers many air conditioner factories. For example, Midea has 2 factories in Wuhan, specializing in the production of household air conditioners and central air conditioners respectively. Midea Wuhan’s production volume and output value have been increasing year by year. In 2023, the annual production volume exceeded 9 million units, with an output value exceeding $30 billion (exchange rate of 7).
Chongqing AC production base
Major air conditioner brands such as Midea, Gree, and Haier all have production bases in Chongqing. For example, Chongqing Gree is the largest and most specialized air conditioner production base in Southwest China, with 9 split air conditioner production lines and products covering over 30 series and more than 100 models.
Shandong AC manufactruing hub
Shandong has many air conditioner manufacturers. For example, well-known air conditioner brands like Haier and Hisense, with headquarters located in Qingdao City. Besides, Gree has established intelligent manufacturing bases in Linyi City.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that Dezhou City is the “Northern Industrial Base for Refrigeration Air Conditioners” and excels in fiberglass central air conditioning.
JingSourcing makes it easy to source air conditioners from China.
We are JingSourcing, a leading sourcing company based in Zhejiang. We’ve dealt with many AC machine inquiries and orders.
Familiar with popular types of air conditioners in overseas markets.
North America has immense demand for air conditioners, with central AC dominating the market. For example, data shows that around 87% of new houses in the US are equipped with central AC systems.
In South America, countries like Brazil and Argentina, located in tropical regions, have high AC demand, especially in split air conditioning systems.
Additionally, the EU market shows a rapid growth in demand for portable mobile air conditioners. Although the duration of high temperatures in the summer is limited in the EU, the problem of “heatwaves” caused by global warming has increased the demand for cooling AC products in many countries like Germany, the UK, and Spain.
Due to high labor costs, the AC installation is expensive, even exceeding the AC product price. Portable air conditioners, which do not require installation and are affordable, have seen good sales. When searching on European Amazon sites, you’ll find many portable air conditioners.
Clear about AC certification standards.
AC entering the EU requires CE certification, mainly involving the Low Voltage Directive (LVD), Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive, and Energy Efficiency (ERP) Directive. The CE certification typically takes 5-10 working days, depending on the specific testing standards for the AC product. Note that AC imports into the UK require UKCA certification.
The US customs require FCC certifications for AC imports. Additionally, it is preferable to have UL certification. Because most American consumers regard UL as a safety symbol. ETL is another safety certification symbol in North America, which is cheaper than UL certification, but it is not as highly recognized in the US as UL certification.
Besides, AC sales in the US is subject to the Department of Energy, requiring a DOE energy efficiency certificate. CEC certification is necessary to meet California’s energy efficiency standards if sold in California. For vehicle AC machines, DOT certification is mandatory.
Able to quickly connect you with suitable AC factories and ensure quality.
Based on years of AC sourcing experience, we can help you find the most suitable AC manufacturers.
As buyers, you are always welcome to find suppliers on Chinese B2B sites like Alibaba and Made in China. However, you are likely to encounter issues. Some suppliers may not have as much knowledge about air conditioners and certification standards as you do.
Additionally, some suppliers may offer low prices to attract orders. At this point, caution is necessary as the products may be “downgraded” versions of air conditioners. For example, use cheaper materials for fan blades or downgrade the compressor size. Without disassembling and inspecting the AC, it’s impossible to find these issues.
If you use our supplier, we guarantee the AC product quality. Firstly, our suppliers have cooperated with us, so we know their product quality. For finished AC machines, we conduct quality inspections to ensure they meet your requirements. In the event that you discover product defects within 15 days after receipt and provide evidence, we will send a replacement or compensate you.
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