The shifting dynamics of the high-end centrifugal chiller market reflect not just the performance of individual companies but also the broader evolution of the industry. China's central air-conditioning sector is undergoing a period of deep adjustment amid multiple pressures. On February 3, the Central Air-Conditioning Market released the "2025 China Central Air-Conditioning Market Summary Report" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). The Report indicates that in 2025, the overall scale of the central air-conditioning market contracted by 18.2% year-on-year. However, challenging times reveal which players are successfully adapting. As reliance on traditional growth drivers becomes unsustainable, segments with high technological barriers and high energy-efficiency value are demonstrating counter-cyclical resilience. The performance of high-end centrifugal chillers is particularly noteworthy, with a pronounced leading effect among domestic brands. Currently, Haier's market share has surpassed 30%, firmly securing its position as the top domestic brand.

The centrifugal chiller segment is experiencing divergence: traditional models are under pressure, while high-end models are growing against the trend. Influenced by the macroeconomic environment, the traditional centrifugal chiller market faces significant pressure and contracting demand, whereas the high-end sub-category is strengthening. The Report shows that in 2025, China's overall centrifugal chiller market declined by 17.2%, but structural differentiation was significant. The high-end centrifugal chiller market expanded rapidly, already accounting for 7.6% of the total. Within the overall declining market, the centrifugal chiller segment has avoided being dragged into deep price wars and is instead accelerating its upgrade towards high-end products. This divergence stems from changes on both the demand and policy sides. From the demand perspective, for scenarios requiring high precision and stability—such as biopharmaceuticals, electronics, and semiconductors—the value of production line safety and quality assurance provided by stable equipment operation far outweighs price differences. This has shifted high-end centrifugal chillers from being an "option" to a "preferred choice," accelerating their penetration into large building and industrial applications. From the policy side, the need for energy savings and carbon reduction in large buildings is becoming a new growth source. The Report reveals that, driven by the "dual carbon" goals and energy-saving renovation demands, green building certification has become a mandatory threshold for most public and commercial project tenders. High-efficiency, stable, and more flexible high-end centrifugal chillers align perfectly with this trend. It can be said that in an era of peak industry volume, the counter-cyclical performance of high-end centrifugal units is not accidental but an inevitable result of industry-wide technological upgrading. It represents not "volume expansion" but "quality substitution."

High-end centrifugal chillers are transitioning from an "option" to a "priority" for an increasing number of projects. How are brands performing in this segment? In the past, the central air-conditioning market was firmly dominated by foreign brands, especially in the high-end sector, where technological barriers were high and building user trust took time, leaving domestic brands mostly in a catch-up role. However, the landscape has been quietly changing in recent years. The Report shows that domestic brands now hold 53.2% of the central air-conditioning industry's market share, while the share of European and American brands has shrunk to 15.2%. Specifically, within the centrifugal chiller segment, the overall share of domestic brands is also continuously increasing. Haier has taken the lead by breaking the 30% market share mark, becoming the number one domestic brand. According to the Report's analysis, brands that possess full lifecycle service capabilities—including preliminary energy-saving solution design, mid-term precise equipment deployment, and post-installation energy consumption operation and maintenance management—are more likely to win project favor. The core advantage of domestic brands lies in their localized, full-scenario service capabilities. Taking Haier as an example, through integrated hardware and software solutions, it transforms centrifugal chillers into perceivable, analyzable, and optimizable low-carbon nodes. For instance, after the Shenzhen Merchants Property project adopted Haier's magnetic bearing air-conditioning solution, its average energy consumption was only 60% of that of similar buildings in Shenzhen, and all equipment could be integrated into the building automation system, significantly reducing operational costs. Domestic brands are also increasing their investment in industry standard setting. In October 2025, the first national standard for magnetic bearing air-conditioning units, led by Haier, was officially implemented. Previously, magnetic bearing products long applied standards for traditional water chillers, making it difficult to quantify their energy-saving advantages and leading to a mixed-quality market. The new national standard establishes unified specifications across dimensions such as testing methods, energy efficiency grades, noise, vibration, and safety, thereby also enhancing the competitiveness of leading domestic brands.

As the industry moves beyond the era of extensive expansion, companies with genuine core competitiveness are more likely to navigate cycles successfully. The changing market structure of high-end centrifugal chillers is not just a report card for one company but a microcosm of industry iteration. It is foreseeable that, driven by the ongoing promotion of "dual carbon" goals, continuously improving building energy efficiency standards, and an increasing stock renovation market, the high-end centrifugal chiller market will maintain long-term growth. It is poised to become a structural blue ocean—technology-driven, value-oriented, and offering superior profit quality. The upward trajectory of this segment has only just begun.