Hi Air Korea

What Hi Air Korea does

HI AIR KOREA Co., Ltd. is a privately held South Korean industrial HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) package supplier founded in 1988 and headquartered in Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do. The company designs, manufactures, and commissions specialized HVAC systems for four primary verticals: merchant marine vessels (bulk carriers, tankers, LNG/LPG carriers, container ships), offshore oil and gas facilities (FPSOs, drilling rigs, fixed platforms, drillships), naval surface vessels meeting military shock/vibration/noise standards, and onshore industrial facilities including nuclear power plants. Its product portfolio spans Air Handling Units, Fan Coil Units, Unit Coolers, condensing units, packaged air conditioning, chilled water units (including oil-free inverter centrifugal chillers with Danfoss Turbocor compressors), axial and centrifugal fans, fire and shut-off dampers (MED 2014/90/EU and IMO MSC.307(88) type-certified), and a green-tech product family covering Onboard Carbon Capture Systems (OCCS), H2 charging station chillers, fuel cells, and radioactive spent activated carbon treatment systems.

Operationally, the company operates via an EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Management) project-based business model, with each contract quoted individually against bespoke marine/offshore/industrial specifications. Pricing is project-specific with multi-year contract cadence and is not publicly disclosed. The company distributes directly to major shipbuilders — Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean — and shipping/oil & gas operators (Petrobras, Shell, HMM, SK Shipping), supplemented by a global service network of 40+ partners including Johnson Controls Global Marine Services and regional agents in China, Singapore, Australia, the UAE, and Europe. Six wholly-owned subsidiaries (HI AIR Airconditioning, HI DUCT, HI Air Korea Outfitting, Tae-Il Blower, Hyundai Marine Machinery, Novenco Marine & Offshore, plus Hi Air Kazakhstan) provide vertical integration across HVAC units, ductwork, fabrication, fans, and marine machinery. Maritime certifications from ABS, DNV, LR, BV, and KR, alongside EN 1886:2006, ATEX, and IECEx ratings, function as the primary regulatory entry barrier.

The company is founder-controlled under Chairman & CEO K. B. Kim, employs 501-1,000 staff, claims over 12,415 completed project references, and maintains dedicated manufacturing at the Gimhae headquarters, a fan factory in Changnyeong (expanded with a 6.5 billion KRW investment in 2021), and an engineering office in Busan. Recent strategic emphasis is shifting toward IMO-aligned decarbonization technologies through OCCS regulatory engagement with Korean authorities alongside HMM, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean.

Name

Hi Air Korea

Legal name

HI AIR KOREA Co., Ltd.

Website

https://hiairkorea.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

HI AIR KOREA is a privately held South Korean industrial HVAC package supplier founded in 1988, designing and manufacturing marine-grade air handling units, chillers, ventilation fans, dampers, and green-tech systems for shipbuilders, offshore operators, navies, and nuclear power plants worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine and Offshore HVAC Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine HVAC, Refrigeration & Ventilation Systems (IMAJAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling) (IMAHAKAB), Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG), HVAC & Industrial Ventilation (Chillers, AHUs, Exhaust, Filtration) (EUAEAFAE)

Keywords

• Marine HVAC systems
• Offshore air handling
• Naval ventilation equipment
• Fire and shut-off dampers
• Onboard carbon capture

Headquarters

HQ city

Gyeongsan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. HVAC Equipment Manufacturing: Design, manufacture, and supply of HVAC equipment including Air Handling Units, Chillers, Ventilation Fans, Packaged Air Conditioners, and Dampers for marine, offshore, navy, and industrial applications. Products are sold as complete packages with project management, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and commissioning services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HI AIR KOREA designs, manufactures, and supplies complete HVAC packages (Air Handling Units, Chillers, Packaged Air Conditioning Units, Fans, Dampers, and Ventilation Accessories) for marine, offshore, navy, industrial, and nuclear power plant customers worldwide. The company delivers fully-engineered, project-specific HVAC systems through a direct EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing, Commissioning) model with EPCM technical service support.

Product overview

HI AIR KOREA is a comprehensive HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) package supplier offering a complete portfolio of products for marine, offshore, navy, industrial, and nuclear power plant applications. The product lineup centers on Air Handling Units (AHU), Fan Coil Units (FCU), Unit Coolers, and Chilled Water Units/Chillers as core cooling and air handling products. Supporting these are extensive ventilation products including Axial Flow Fans, Special Axial Flow Fans (for hazardous areas), and Centrifugal Fans, plus various Dampers (Fire, Shut-Off, Flow Control, Pressure Relief, Heavy Duty Closing) for system control. The company also offers specialized Green Tech products including OCCS (Onboard Carbon Capture System), H2 Charging Station Chillers, Fuel Cells, and Radioactive Spent Activated Carbon Treatment systems. Products are engineered for marine/offshore (corrosive environments, hazardous areas), naval (military standards), and nuclear power applications with certifications from ABS, DNV, LR, BV, KR classification societies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HI AIR Airconditioning: Subsidiary specializing in PACU, AHU, Condensing Unit, Control Panel, Heat pump, Chiller, and Dehumidifier products.
• HI DUCT
• HI AIR KOREA Outfitting
• TAE-IL BLOWER
• HMMCO (Hyundai Marine Machinery)
• NOVENCO MARINE & OFFSHORE

Products and services

• Marine Air Handling Unit (AHU) Marine-grade Air Handling Unit designed to withstand harsh marine conditions, used in Bulk Carrier, Product Oil Carrier, Crude Oil Tanker, LPG Carrier, LNG Carrier, and Container ship applications.
• Fan Coil Unit (FCU) Compact FCU composed of filter, fan, cooling coil and heating coil for marine air conditioning systems with cooling capacities from 3 to 20 USRT.
• Unit Cooler Evaporator coil and fan unit for cold room and freezing room applications, available in wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted types.
• Condensing Unit for AC Marine condensing units with cooling capacities from 81 to 631 kW for fresh and sea water cooling applications.
• Condensing Unit for Cold Chamber Refrigeration condensing units for ship's temperature-sensitive provisions, servicing meat room, fish room, dairy room, vegetable room and garbage room.
• Packaged Air Conditioning Unit (PACU) Self-contained unit with compressor, condenser, filter, fan, motor, cooling/heating coil and starter for engine control rooms, workshops, galley applications.
• Chilled Water Unit (Chiller) Chilled water plants including dry type shell & tube, brazed plate, and oil-free inverter centrifugal types with capacities from 150 kW to 3,870 kW; COP up to 5.6, NPLV up to 10.3.
• Chilled Water Unit for MGO (Marine Gas Oil) Fuel cooling system for low sulphur MGO fuel to maintain viscosity at safety limits and prevent fuel pump breakdown; capacities 30 to 200 kW.
• Axial Flow Fan Marine grade axial fans including AWA/HWA rigid type and AKA/HKA swing-out door type with impeller diameters from 350 to 2,000 mm.
• Special Axial Flow Fan (Hazardous Area) Non-sparking fans for hazardous locations including MNA (bifurcated), HCA (mushroom), ELA (elbow) and MXA types for explosive gas environments.
• Centrifugal Fan Light-weight compact centrifugal fans for marine systems including CLC/CHC belt-driven and CK duct in-line types.
• Fire Damper (Marine) A-Class and H-Class fire and gas dampers type-certified per Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU and IMO Res. MSC.307(88).
• Shut-Off Damper Dampers for isolating duct systems with air tightness, available in electric, pneumatic and manual actuation types.
• Flow Control Damper Dampers for regulating airflow rates in HVAC systems, available as automatic modulating or manual balancing types.
• Offshore Air Handling Unit (SS316L) SS316L stainless steel AHU for FPSOs, Drilling Rigs, Fixed Platforms, and Drillships with 36-month offshore warranty; certified to EN 1886:2006.
• MODULAIR Split AC Unit Split air conditioning units for onshore and offshore containerized module applications, with Zone 1/2 hazardous area ratings available (ATEX/IECEx).
• Air Handling Unit for Nuclear Power Plant Specialized air handling unit for nuclear power plant applications with stringent safety requirements.
• Cubicle Cooler for Nuclear Power Plant Specialized cubicle cooler for nuclear power plant control rooms and equipment cabinets with stringent safety requirements.
• OCCS (Onboard Carbon Capture System) Onboard carbon capture system for maritime shipping to capture CO2 emissions and align with IMO carbon reduction regulations.
• H2 Charging Station Chiller Cooling system for hydrogen charging stations supporting green-energy infrastructure.
• Fuel Cells Fuel cell technology products for clean-energy applications.
• Radioactive Spent Activated Carbon Treatment Treatment system for radioactive spent activated carbon from nuclear power applications.
• HVAC Control Panel HVAC control panel designed and built in compliance with project standards for construction and functional characteristics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Test facility capacity of up to 1,300RT cooling capacity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• HMM (Korea)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026Major Korean shipping company participating in South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries consultative body for onboard carbon capture systems (OCCS) to align domestic OCCS technology with IMO global standards.
• Samsung Heavy IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026Major Korean shipbuilder participating in OCCS initiative to accelerate recognition of South Korean OCCS solutions within future carbon reduction regulations.
• Hanwha OceancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026Korean shipbuilder participating in OCCS consultative body to align domestic technology with IMO standards for maritime decarbonization.
• Johnson Controls Global Marine ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationJohnson Controls provides global marine service support for HI AIR KOREA products with locations in Shanghai, Singapore, India (Pune), Germany (Hamburg), Denmark, Sweden, France, UK, Netherlands (Dordrecht), UAE (Dubai), and Chile. Service and parts support for marine HVAC systems.
• HIPSON MARINE (China)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorService partner with locations in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Dalian providing marine HVAC service and parts support in China.
• GLM Marine & Offshore PTE Ltd (Singapore)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarine and offshore service partner covering Singapore and Southeast Asia region.
• MIZCO (Australia)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorService partner covering Western Australia region for marine HVAC support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Johnson Controls: Global HVAC incumbent and HI Air's stated global marine service partner. Competes with HI Air in commercial and marine HVAC while also serving as a downstream service channel for HI Air products.
• Daikin Industries: Global HVAC and refrigeration incumbent with growing marine and offshore footprint. Overlaps with HI Air in chillers, packaged AC, and HVAC controls; provides competitive pressure on both pricing and technology.
• Alfa Laval: Swedish industrial incumbent supplying heat exchangers, boilers, and fluid handling to marine and offshore markets. Overlaps with HI Air's chiller, MGO cooling, and offshore HVAC product lines; serves the same major shipbuilders and offshore EPC contractors.
• Trane Technologies: Global commercial and industrial HVAC manufacturer with marine-adjacent capabilities through its Thermo King and Trane brands. Competes broadly with HI Air in packaged air conditioning, chillers, and air-handling products.
• Carrier Global: Global HVAC incumbent with marine and offshore exposure through Carrier Marine. Comparable in packaged AC, centrifugal chiller, and AHU product lines serving shipbuilders, offshore, and industrial end markets.

Direct peers

• Hamworthy (Wärtsilä): Wärtsilä's marine gas solutions and HVAC offerings directly overlap with HI Air's merchant and offshore HVAC packages. Both serve the same global shipbuilder customer base and compete on integrated marine climate systems.
• Heinen & Hopman Engineering: Netherlands-based specialist in marine HVAC, refrigeration, and ventilation systems for commercial vessels, navy, and offshore. Direct competitor to HI AIR KOREA in marine-grade AHUs, chillers, and integrated HVAC packages for shipbuilders and offshore operators.
• Dunham-Bush: Global manufacturer of HVAC, chillers, and heat exchangers with a strong marine and offshore practice. Comparable to HI Air in centrifugal chiller technology and offshore oil & gas HVAC packaging.
• Koja Marine: Finnish marine HVAC manufacturer serving commercial shipping, navy, and offshore. Comparable to HI Air in product scope (AHUs, chillers, fans, dampers) and customer base (shipbuilders, naval authorities), with similar classification-society-driven certification model.
• Spheros (Eberspächer Group): German-based HVAC specialist for buses, commercial vehicles, and marine applications. Comparable in marine/offshore HVAC distribution and integrated cabin climate solutions; competes in similar shipbuilder RFPs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HI-AIR-KOREA-102423282042441
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/14692280
• Instagraminstagram.com/hiairkorea

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hi Air Korea