Established in 1993, the Livingston plant has been manufacturing air conditioning units for 30 years and producing heat pumps for installation across the UK and Europe since 2009. Today, it is the largest heat pump manufacturer in the UK, employing 1,840 people and helping to support investment in Scotland’s green economy and the wider transition to low-carbon heating.
To mark the occasion, Mitsubishi Electric hosted an anniversary event at the factory on 6 July. Key government and industry figures attended included Patrick Harvie, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Hannah Bardell, MP for Livingston, and Tadashi Fujiwara, the Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh.
Continued investment by Mitsubishi Electric, together with support from Scottish Enterprise, has seen the Livingston factory expand and grow in heat pump production.
Rodney Ayre, senior department manager at Livingston, said: “The Livingston factory has been manufacturing heat pumps for well over a decade now, and today offers an important opportunity to mark its invaluable contribution to the green economy. By supporting the manufacturing and installation of heat pumps, the factory plays a vital role in the transition to low carbon heating across the UK and Europe.”
Alongside the 30th anniversary, Mitsubishi Electric also marked the factory’s production of its fifth-million product – the new Ecodan R290 air source heat pump for residential buildings. With its low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant, and flow temperatures of up to 75°C, the R290 heat pump brings unbeatable benefits for home heating.
Russell Dean, residential product group director at Mitsubishi Electric, said: “We must decarbonise our building stock now, and changing the way we heat our homes will play a critical role in how this is achieved. The production of the Ecodan R290 means we can now provide a heat pump for every home, helping to drive heat pump adoption across the UK and Europe.”