SONGZ buys Lumikko

The Chinese market leader for air-conditioning in buses has worked closely together with BITZER for almost 20 years. On the first of December 2017, BITZER and SONGZ have signed a contract covering the acquisition of the specialist for truck and trailer refrigeration. As soon as the People’s Republic of China authorities have issued all relevant approvals, Lumikko will be 100 per cent owned by SONGZ. The parties have agreed not to disclose any details of the transaction.

‘This transaction is of strategic importance for all three companies and it represents a very large opportunity to create a major and global player in the field of refrigerated trucks and trailers,’ said Gianni Parlanti, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at BITZER. ‘The refrigeration units from Lumikko have been tailored to exactly match BITZER compressors – the new innovative hybrid compressor is just one example. As well as the new generation of user interfaces for mobile applications made by LODAM, which is the BITZER competence centre for electronics, combined in an unattainable performance.’

With the acquisition of Lumikko Technologies, SONGZ is entering the European market. We are thus extending our partnership, which has long been successful in Asia, into Europe. This is a win-win situation for everyone, as Lumikko’s powerful and robust refrigeration units complement SONGZ’s product portfolio very well.’

Partners in Europe and Asia
With a very large share of the city bus market, as well as trains and automotive climate solutions, SONGZ leads the market in China. It is listed on the stock exchange, has its headquarters in Shanghai and employs more than 2,000 staff members. ‘With its purchase of Lumikko, SONGZ is extending its area of business to offer high-quality refrigeration units for truck and trailer applications. The partnership has been successful in Asia for almost 20 years and we are now going to pursue the same success in Europe,’ said Parlanti about the cooperation with SONGZ.

‘With mature products and advanced technology provided by Lumikko and SONGZ’s rich experience in the expanding Asian market, it would be a promising future for both companies to strengthen their business in Asia as well as Europe,’ said Chen Rui, Secretary of the Board, about the prospect of the cooperation.

SONGZ AUTOMOBILE AIR CONDITIONING CO., LTD was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Shanghai with 2,000 employees today. The company specialises in the research and development, manufacturing and marketing of air-conditioning applications used in commercial and passenger vehicles.

Founded in Finland in 1970, Lumikko now produces innovative and reliable refrigeration systems for transport cooling, including refrigeration units for trucks and trailers, at its Seinäjoki site. Since the end of 2012, the transport cooling division Lumikko Technologies Oy has belonged to the BITZER Group, the world’s largest independent manufacturer of refrigeration compressors.

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