air conditioner

China is presently the third largest air conditioner manufacturer in the world, producing nearly 4 million units in 1994. In recent years China's air conditioner industry has experienced explosive growth, with production increasing more than 15-fold from 1990 to 1994. Despite this rapid growth, less than 1％ of Chinese households own air conditioners, although in some wealthy urban areas the saturation now tops 10％. Growth in the Chinese air conditioner market is expected to continue over the next decade or so, driven by rising consumer purchasing power, particularly in cities and along the eastern and southern coasts. Mid-range projections are that the annual Chinese air conditioner market will reach 5 million units in the next few years and 6 million units by 2000. China now has approximately 100 air conditioner manufacturers, although the top ten manufacturers account for nearly 60％ of the market. The consolidation of the Chinese air conditioner industry is expected to continue in the future; many experts predict only 20-30 manufacturers will remain in a few years time.