FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TCCI Manufacturing to Preview Climatic Center for Innovation & Research at ACT Expo 2026; Manufacturer Reservations Now Open for Fall 2026
Interactive 3D walkthrough of first-of-its-kind public testing facility debuts at Booth 1210; new third-generation electric compressors on display; SVP Kara Demirjian Huss joins Argonne National Laboratory and Cal EPIC for cross-sector panel on AI-driven fleet transformation
LAS VEGAS / DECATUR, Ill. (April 30, 2026) — TCCI Manufacturing, a global leader in advanced compressor technology and next-generation thermal management solutions serving commercial, heavy-duty vehicle, and automotive specialty markets, today announced that its Climatic Center for Innovation & Research (CCIR) — the most advanced public testing facility of its kind in the United States — will open in fall 2026 in Decatur, Illinois. Manufacturer reservations are now being accepted beginning November 2026. ACT Expo 2026 will serve as the official preview of the facility, showcased through a fully interactive 3D walkthrough at TCCI’s Booth 1210 in the West Hall.
A First-of-Its-Kind Public Testing Center
The CCIR is the centerpiece of TCCI’s Clean Energy Innovation Hub, a $45 million public-private partnership advancing sustainable mobility. It is the first U.S. public testing center to integrate climatic testing, an EPA-certified dynamometer, vibration and electronics testing, and advanced thermal and low-GWP refrigerant system testing under a single roof. For automakers, OEMs, fleet operators, and component manufacturers, the facility consolidates capabilities that today typically require multiple separate test environments — accelerating development cycles, improving validation accuracy, and reducing the risk of bringing next-generation thermal and refrigerant technologies to market.
“We’re now booking reservations for automakers and component manufacturers to test and validate new technologies, and the response has been phenomenal,” said Richard Demirjian, President and CEO of TCCI Manufacturing. “With climatic, dynamometer, vibration, electronics, compressor, and refrigerant system testing under one roof, our public testing center is truly second to none. We’re excited to help the industry accelerate development and reduce risk while supporting advanced technologies.”
The interactive 3D tour of the CCIR is also available at tccimfg.com/ccir.
Third-Generation Electric Compressors Debut at Booth 1210
In addition to the CCIR preview, TCCI will showcase its new third-generation electric compressors, featuring the highest voltage range available on the market, alongside its full portfolio of wobble plate, swash plate, variable, rotary vane, and reciprocating compressors. The booth experience is designed for OEMs, fleet operators, and engineering decision-makers evaluating thermal management solutions across commercial, heavy-duty, and specialty vehicle programs.
A Cross-Sector Conversation on AI, Talent, and the Future of Fleet
On Wednesday, May 6 at 1:10 PM in Expo Hall Theater South, TCCI SVP Kara Demirjian Huss will join Kristen G. Wahl, Director of Advanced Energy Workforce and Department Director of Strategic Transportation Education and Partnerships at Argonne National Laboratory, and Orville Thomas, CEO of Cal EPIC, for the panel From Technology to Talent: Preparing the Workforce for AI-Driven Fleet Transformation. The session will be moderated by Nate Baguio, Chief Commercial Officer of DCC Marketing and former Communications and Public Affairs lead at LA Metro and the Metro Gold Line Construction Authority.
The panel brings together three of the sectors that will determine whether the United States can build the workforce required to operate the next generation of clean fleet technology: a national laboratory leading federal R&D and workforce strategy, a state-level organization deploying EV infrastructure and workforce programs at scale, and a global manufacturer operationalizing AI across production, engineering, and customer systems. The discussion will focus on how industry, government, and education are aligning — and where they are not — to build AI-ready talent pipelines that can keep pace with electrification, automation, and integrated fleet systems.
“Manufacturing jobs are not disappearing; they are evolving faster than training systems can respond,” said Demirjian Huss. “AI is already changing how work gets done. The question is whether industry, government, and education will move in time to build the workforce required to operate it.”
Workforce Academy Operationalizes the Conversation
TCCI’s commitment to AI-ready workforce development is already in operation. Earlier this year, the Clean Energy Workforce Academy, a public-private partnership between TCCI, Richland Community College, the State of Illinois, and the City of Decatur, welcomed its first cohort of students. Housed within the Clean Energy Innovation Hub, the program trains students directly inside one of the state’s most advanced manufacturing environments, alongside industry professionals, on the same systems they will operate in their first job. The model is designed to compress the gap between training and workforce readiness in advanced manufacturing and clean energy.
Engage with TCCI at ACT Expo 2026
- Booth 1210, West Hall — Interactive 3D walkthrough of the CCIR; new third-generation electric compressors on display
- Workforce Panel — Wednesday, May 6 at 1:10 PM, Expo Hall Theater South
- CCIR Reservations — ccir@tccimfg.com
- Virtual 3D Tour — tccimfg.com/ccir
Über TCCI Manufacturing
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Decatur, Illinois, TCCI Manufacturing is a global pioneer in compressor technology for commercial, heavy-duty vehicles, and automotive specialty markets. With manufacturing operations in China, India, and the U.S., and a global footprint spanning engineering, sales, and warehousing in Illinois, Texas, China, Ireland, Germany, Spain, India, and Mexico, TCCI is committed to delivering innovative solutions that shape the future of manufacturing and advance sustainable mobility. Visit tccimfg.com.
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Media Contact:
Kara Demirjian Huss
SVP at TCCI Manufacturing
217-433-2844
CCIR
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