ISLAMABAD (WEB DESK)
The parent company of Dawlance, Arçelik has established its second R&D center in Pakistan at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). Arçelik is the 2nd largest manufacturer in Europe, operates in 53 countries with 83 subsidiaries has 30 R&D centers around the World.
Arçelik produces leading sustainable and innovative home appliances products at its, cutting-edge technologies in nine countries. For fostering innovations in Pakistan, Arçelik established an R&D center in Karachi in 2017 just after the acquisition of Dawlance and now is making a new investment to establish an Arcelik Global Research & Development (R&D) Center, at the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), in Islamabad to accelerate its effort to grow in Pakistani market. The new R&D center was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by the Pro-Rector of NUST RIC – Air vice Marshal (Retired) Dr. Rizwan Riaz, the President of Koç Holding Consumer Durables Group Dr Fatih Kemal Ebiçlioğlu, Arçelik Chief Commercial Officer of Turkey and South Asia Can Dinçer, Arçelik Chief Production and Technology Officer Nihat Bayız, CEO of Dawlance Umer Ahsan Khan and Pakistani officials.
Arcelik’s Executive Director of R&D – Mr. Emre Oğuz and the Chief Executive Officer of Dawlance (Pakistan) – Mr. Umer Ahsan Khan signed this historic agreement, at the NUST University in Islamabad, along with Pro-Rector RIC – Air vice Marshal (Retired) Dr. Rizwan Riaz. This initiative will deploy highly qualified engineers to train the youth in modern skill sets for creating a globally competitive workforce in Pakistan
In the inauguration, Dr. Fatih Ebiçlioğlu, President of Consumer Durables at the parent company of Arcelik – Koç Holding, stated that “Consistently creating value for our stakeholders, expanding and diversifying our global reach, and putting our customers first are the pillars of Koc Holding’s vision. We see Pakistan as a key developing market for local manufacturing, R&D and future export hubs. Pakistan is a very high-potential country in information technologies and is well on track to become a leader in STEM. We believe that the R&D center in NUST will serve to the strategic national objective of the country. Focusing on software development, this R&D center, marking first among our 30 R&D centers of Arçelik, will support the needs of all Arcelik subsidiaries worldwide.
Arçelik plays a leading role in global home appliance industry thanks to its R&D skills and its commitment to developing sustainable, innovative, smart, digital home solutions. Innovative technologies introduced to consumers in Pakistan promise up to 50% conservation of energy, promise environmental sustainability and protect the Ecology of the planet for future generations. Vitamin Fresh technology at refrigerators increasing vitamin retention in the fruits/vegetables in crisper while Nature Lock technology increasing the life of vegetables, reducing food waste and costs to consumers. Aqua Smart washing technology has special cycles to reduce water consumption. Blast Air Conditioner, which offers a 30% stronger air flow, enhancing comfort and convenience are among the innovative Technologies of Dawlance.
Arçelik’s R&D center in Karachi caters to all product categories in Dawlance, including Refrigerators/Freezers, Split ACs, Washing Machines, Water dispensers, TV & Small Domestic Appliances (SDAs). Expertise exists in all fields of product design & development including structural design, modeling/analysis, system design and testing, embedded software design, design implementation. Only appliance manufacturer in Pakistan with this capability.
The CEO of Dawlance – Umer Ahsan Khan stated that: “Arcelik’s partnership with NUST – the premier technology institute in Pakistan, shows our commitment to foster technological advancements in Pakistan and enable the professional development of the youth. Arçelik has been making healthy investments to foster research, modernize production and provide the highest quality products. The young engineers at NUST will gain valuable experiences, by learning about Arçelik’s global quality standards, regulatory compliance and best practices.”
The Pro-Rector RIC of NUST – Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Dr. Rizwan Riaz said “We are thankful to Arçelik for working directly with NUST to utilize the research-centric environment of this prestigious engineering institution, to complete its ongoing and futuristic R&D projects. This partnership will enable the development & testing of IT solutions, pertaining to the home appliances category, as Arçelik is expanding its footprint in Pakistan and other Asian countries, to show its confidence in the talents and scientific potential of the youth.” The entire infrastructural & running cost of this venture will be managed by the Arçelik team. This initiative will also help in gaining deeper insights into the local consumer’s needs and preferences to develop innovative solutions, based on the needs of the Asian markets. Large volumes of data will be collected & shared with the Arçelik team, for exploring the possibilities to export IT solutions, globally.