Interviews
BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE
Inside Walton’s Rise as the Country’s No. 1 AC Brand
Md. Tanvir Rahman serves as the Chief Business Officer (AC) at Walton Hi-Tech Industries PLC, where he oversees the strategic growth, product development, and market expansion of Walton’s air conditioning portfolio. With Walton emerging as Bangladesh’s leading homegrown electronics and appliance manufacturer, Rahman has played a key role in strengthening the brand’s position in both residential and commercial cooling solutions. His focus spans local manufacturing excellence, technology-driven product innovation, energy efficiency, and building long-term consumer trust in a highly competitive market.
In this conversation, he shares insights into Walton’s brand strategy, technological direction, evolving consumer behavior, and the company’s long-term vision for sustainable and smart cooling solutions.
Walton has emerged as a leading local brand in the air conditioner market. From a brand strategy perspective, what has been the key driver behind this growth and consumer trust?
Walton’s growth in the air conditioner market is driven by a strong local manufacturing foundation combined with expanding technological capabilities. Recognized as Bangladesh’s No. 1 AC brand, Walton has set benchmarks for quality, innovation, and performance in the air conditioning industry.
Walton AC has secured patents for four innovative technologies, including Offline Voice Control in both Bangla and English, Iconic Smart Display, and Bluetooth technology. Beyond residential air conditioners, Walton also designs and manufactures VRF systems and chiller solutions, enabling us to serve both household and large- scale commercial cooling requirements.
By engineering products specifically for Bangladesh’s high ambient temperatures, humidity, and power conditions, Walton ensures consistent performance and long-term durability. This technical strength—supported by competitive pricing and a nationwide after-sales service network—has been central to building long-term consumer trust. Our ability to deliver reliable solutions across multiple capacity ranges positions Walton as a comprehensive and dependable cooling solution provider.
Walton ACs increasingly emphasize energy efficiency and eco-friendly technology. How are innovations like inverter systems and R290 refrigerant shaping the future of cooling in Bangladesh?
Inverter technology and eco-friendly refrigerants are reshaping the cooling landscape in Bangladesh, and Walton is at the forefront of this transition. Walton’s inverter ACs use variable-speed compressor control to match cooling output with real-time demand, resulting in faster cooling, quieter operation, and significant energy savings.
The adoption of R290 refrigerant—with its very low Global Warming Potential (GWP) and excellent heat-transfer properties—further improves system efficiency while substantially reducing environmental impact. Together, inverter technology and R290 support lower electricity consumption, a reduced carbon footprint, and long- term sustainability, which are increasingly important for Bangladesh’s future energy ecosystem.
In a market crowded with both local and international brands, how does Walton differentiate its air conditioners in terms of performance, value, and after-sales service?
Walton differentiates itself through a balanced value proposition that combines performance, affordability, and ownership experience. Our air conditioners are engineered for high-ambient operation, stable performance under fluctuating power conditions, and long-term reliability. Local manufacturing allows us to integrate advanced features while maintaining competitive pricing.
Beyond the product, Walton’s extensive after-sales service network—supported by trained technicians, fast response times, and readily available spare parts—ensures minimal downtime and peace of mind for customers. This end-to- end value proposition clearly distinguishes Walton in a highly competitive marketplace.
How do changing construction trends—suchas high-rise living, commercial buildings, and energy-conscious design—influence Walton’s AC product development and marketing strategy?
Modern construction trends are significantly shaping our product development strategy. High-rise residential buildings and commercial spaces require cooling systems that are compact, energy-efficient, quiet, and adaptable to complex layouts. In response, Walton has expanded its portfolio to include inverter-based split systems, VRF solutions, and commercial air conditioners optimized for modern building requirements. From a marketing perspective, the focus has shifted from cooling capacity alone to total lifecycle cost, energy efficiency, and system suitability. We increasingly collaborate with developers, consultants, and facility managers to ensure optimal system selection aligned with energy-conscious building designs.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for Walton Air Conditioner over the next five years, particularly in relation to smart technology and sustainable
building solutions?
Over the next five years, Walton aims to further strengthen its position as a provider of high-efficiency, sustainable, and globally competitive cooling solutions. A key focus area will be the development of high-COP VRF systems that deliver superior energy performance for modern residential and commercial buildings.
We are also investing in higher-capacity inverter and non-inverter chillers to support large commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects. In line with global environmental trends, Walton plans to introduce VRF systems using low-GWP refrigerants to minimize environmental impact while maintaining high system efficiency.
Alongside product innovation, we are placing greater emphasis on export-oriented manufacturing—ensuring compliance with international standards and expanding our footprint in overseas markets. Through smart controls, energy monitoring, and sustainable technologies, Walton aims to support energy-efficient buildings and reinforce its role as a trusted cooling solutions provider both in Bangladesh and internationally.
Building Cooling Independence
Inside Elite Hitech Industries’ Vision for Bangladesh
For over three decades, Elite Hitech Industries Ltd. (EHIL) has played a quiet yet transformative role in shaping Bangladesh’s air-conditioning and cooling landscape. From residential comfort to heavy commercial and industrial solutions, EHIL’s journey has been driven by one powerful idea: manufacturing independence. In this exclusive conversation, Md. Noor A Alam, Deputy Managing Director of Elite Hitech Industries, speaks about nation-building through technology, the importance of R&D-led manufacturing, sustainability, and why Bangladesh must own its industrial future.
Elite Hitech Industries has emerged as a leading air conditioner manufacturer in Bangladesh. What have been the key drivers behind this growth and diversification?
Elite Hitech Industries has always carried a strong sense of responsibility toward the nation. From the very beginning, our goal was not just commercial success—it was manufacturing independence.
If profit had been the only objective, there were many other businesses that could have generated quicker or higher returns. But we believed that even after 50 years of independence, Bangladesh should not remain dependent on other countries for critical technologies like air-conditioning. No country should have to rely on another’s mercy for performance, quality, or supply.
That belief shaped our direction. When we entered manufacturing, our first priority was building internal knowledge—strengthening R&D, engineering capability, and learning processes. We wanted to own our technology, not just assemble imported systems.
The people of Bangladesh recognized that integrity and effort. A brand cannot grow without public trust. We put in the work, and the people turned that effort into a brand. At the core, our key driver has always been R&D concentration, technical learning, and self-reliance.
How is EHIL improving RAC and CAC efficiency while keeping air-conditioning solutions affordable for residential and commercial users?
Efficiency begins with autonomy. When manufacturers rely on semi-finished or disassembled imported products, efficiency levels are dictated by external suppliers. That limits both performance control and pricing flexibility.
By manufacturing our own products, we can adjust design parameters, optimize efficiency, and remove unnecessary cost layers. External suppliers always include their own margins, which ultimately increase prices for consumers. Our approach allows us to deliver energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions simultaneously.
This decision had a broader impact on the industry as well. When competitors saw that local manufacturing could succeed at this level, it encouraged technological growth across the sector.
For Commercial Air Conditioning (CAC), durability has always been critical. We benchmark ourselves against Japanese industrial standards, particularly for robustness and long-term performance. We never compromise on core raw materials like steel and copper. Today, we produce some of the most robust industrial-grade air conditioners in the country, and public appreciation confirms that effort.
It took nearly 12 years of manufacturing experience to reach this stage. Our next focus is process cooling and cold chain solutions—a crucial yet heavily import-dependent sector in Bangladesh. With dedicated R&D over the next one to two years, we aim to achieve autonomy there as well.
Your product range includes split, ducted, cassette, portable, and industrial systems. How do these solutions address modern infrastructure demands?
We work across the entire spectrum of air-conditioning solutions. Our portfolio includes wall-mounted splits, ceiling units, cassette systems, ducted ACs, floor-standing units, dehumidifiers, and customized solutions.
While cooling remains the standard requirement in Bangladesh, many of our systems offer both cooling and heating options, especially for light commercial and specialized applications. This becomes increasingly important as we move into process cooling and thermal management, where cooling alone is often insufficient.
Another critical factor is environmental adaptation. Bangladesh has coastal regions, high-humidity zones, and chemically aggressive environments that can severely damage standard air conditioners. To address this, we develop units with special protective coatings designed for moisture, corrosion, and chemical resistance.
Our strength lies in designing air conditioners that are not generic, but context-specific—built for Bangladesh’s climate, industries, and infrastructure realities.
Sustainability is a major focus for EHIL. How do eco-friendly refrigerants and advanced treatment systems support your environmental goals?
Sustainability and decarbonization are central to our future roadmap. One major focus area is the transition to eco-friendly refrigerants with low to near-zero Global Warming Potential (GWP).
We work closely under the guidance of the Department of Environment, UNDP, Ozone Cell, and international development partners to align with next-generation refrigerant standards.
From an operational standpoint, we centrally manage and monitor our Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP) and Water Treatment Plants (WTP). EHIL also maintains internationally recognized certifications, including:
- ISO 9001 (Quality Management)
- ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)
- ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety)
Sustainability is not a checkbox for us—it is integrated into manufacturing, compliance, and long-term planning.
With over 30 years of contribution to national development, how does EHIL plan to continue delivering “Quality Performance with Cool Comfort”?
Our ambition is to be a technology-driven company that competes confidently on both local and global platforms. With three decades of local market understanding and global-standard technical expertise, we aim to lead in customized air-conditioning and cold chain solutions for Bangladesh.
At the same time, we want to stand shoulder to shoulder with global brands at international technical forums. Bangladesh must not fall behind in global practices or innovation cycles.
Our mission is clear: to protect national interests, strengthen local capability, and ensure that this 56,000 square miles of market is not dominated by external forces when we have the capability to lead ourselves.
What kind of reactions do you receive from international markets and industry peers?
Reactions usually fall into two contrasting categories. One group is genuinely surprised—“We didn’t know Bangladesh was doing this level of manufacturing.” The other reaction is more cautious: “If you are moving this fast, what does that mean for us?”
Competition and geopolitics are part of industrial growth. We welcome competition, but we also believe that if policy support aligns, Bangladesh can expand beyond borders. Even without that, our priority is to safeguard national capability in this sector.
Today, nearly half a million air-conditioning units produced by Elite Hitech Industries are serving the country. That, for us, is the true testament of commitment. And from here, we believe the sky is the limit.
Closing Note
Elite Hitech Industries’ journey reflects a larger narrative—one where industrial self-reliance, technological courage, and long-term thinking converge. As Bangladesh steps into its next phase of growth, companies like EHIL demonstrate that local manufacturing, when powered by vision and integrity, can shape national destiny.