Europe heat wave fuels demand for Turkish air conditioning systems

ISTANBUL

Driven by a severe European heat wave, Turkish air conditioning manufacturers are experiencing a massive surge in international orders and maintenance requests, according to an industry representative.

More than two-thirds of Europeans experienced temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius during a June 15–30 heat wave, underscoring the continent’s continued lack of preparedness for increasingly frequent periods of extreme heat more than two decades after its last record-breaking heat wave.

The combination of buildings ill-suited to high temperatures and the limited availability of air conditioning systems has prompted many European buyers to turn to Turkish suppliers.

“We are observing a significant increase in demand, even in central and northern European countries where air conditioning has traditionally not been widely used. It is not only individual consumers driving this trend; public institutions, educational facilities, healthcare centers and commercial businesses are also accelerating their investments in climate-control systems,” Osman Baştaş, chairman of the Air Conditioning Industry Exporters’ Association, told Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency.

“The European Union remains one of the most important export markets for our industry. Turkish companies enjoy a strong competitive advantage, particularly in energy-efficient products, ventilation systems, heat exchangers, plumbing equipment, refrigeration systems and commercial climate-control solutions,” Baştaş added.

Another industry representative told Turkish media that buyers in France and Germany, where inventories have reportedly been depleted, are urgently turning to Türkiye to meet immediate needs.

“They are telling suppliers, ‘Send us everything you have available,’” the representative said, describing the unprecedented demand.