On June 21 in Washington, D.C., Danfoss, a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency electronic and mechanical components and controls for air-conditioning, heating, refrigeration, industrial, and water systems, participated in the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit — an initiative established by the White House as a government-wide effort to encourage, facilitate, and accelerate business investment in the United States by both domestic and foreign firms.

Hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Summit’s theme was “The Innovation Advantage,” showcasing the United States as the world leader in innovation and the premier destination for business. It convened business and government leaders to share insights on the latest innovations and trends.

John Galyen, president, Danfoss North America, joined Michael Araten, president of K’NEX Brands; Stephen Chabot, vice president operations and quality at INFINICON Inc.; and Pedro Ferro, CEO at Fras-le, in a panel moderated by Jason Miller, deputy director of the National Economic Council.

Galyen emphasized that investing in the U.S. market is vital to participating in a global economy; people all over the world want to buy products made in the United States.

He also cited the skilled U.S. labor force, stable currency, and robust infrastructure as benefits of doing business in the United States.

“For Danfoss, which is present in more than 100 countries worldwide, the United States is our largest market,” said Galyen. “Being close to our customers is essential to our business. We need to have local production and local support, making further investment in this market a priority. Today we have 17 sites in the U.S.”

He also noted that trends around energy efficiency and climate change are impacting the company’s investment in innovation and R&D.

“The United States generally sets the bar on product standards. For example, air-conditioning chiller standards are set here. We are continuing to make investments to expand our U.S. footprint, including a new Application Development Center being built in Tallahassee, Florida, that will help our customers accelerate high-efficiency, innovative technologies to the market.”

Danfoss currently has 17 facilities in the United States, including manufacturing and research and development operations.