TCCI Manufacturing Opens Advanced Climatic Center for Vehicle Testing and Thermal Innovation
New globally accessible CCIR brings full-vehicle climatic simulation, EPA-certified dynamometer testing, system and component validation, and natural refrigerant research together in one integrated R&D facility
DECATUR, Ill. – October 2, 2026 – TCCI Manufacturing today announced the opening of its Climatic Center for Innovation & Research (CCIR), a large-scale, globally accessible research, testing and validation resource designed to help OEMs, suppliers and researchers develop, test and commercialize next-generation thermal management and vehicle technologies faster.
The grand opening also marks the first stop of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association’s Makers on the Move statewide bus tour, kicking off Manufacturing Month and showcasing the people, technologies and investments shaping the future of manufacturing across Illinois.
Designed to support mechanical, hybrid, hydrogen, and electric vehicle platforms – from passenger vehicles through Class 8 commercial and specialty vehicles – CCIR brings full-vehicle, system and component-level research and testing together in one integrated facility.
At the center of the facility is an approximately 90-foot-long climatic chamber, with a vehicle testing area approximately 65 feet long, 27 feet wide and 18 feet high, engineered to accommodate large commercial vehicles. The chamber combines temperature control from -22°F to 131°F, humidity control from 20% to 90% RH, solar simulation and high-capacity frontal airflow with an EPA-certified three-axle, 2,200-total-horsepower electric chassis dynamometer capable of supporting testing from small passenger vehicles through Class 8 trucks.
But CCIR extends well beyond full-vehicle climatic testing. The facility integrates dual 50-kW climatic system test benches; electric and mechanical compressor testing; advanced electronics and motor laboratories; thermal vibration and durability testing; and dedicated natural and next-generation refrigerant research capabilities – giving engineering teams the ability to move between component, system and complete-vehicle validation within one research environment.
The facility allows engineering teams to reproduce demanding real-world operating conditions in controlled, repeatable environments – supporting vehicle efficiency and range testing, HVAC performance, heating and cooling, hot- and cold-soak evaluation, defrost and defog, road-load and towing simulation, battery thermal management, heat-pump systems, and electric and mechanical compressor technologies.
More than a testing laboratory, CCIR is designed to operate as an extension of customers’ engineering and development teams – providing the infrastructure, application expertise and repeatable data needed to reduce development risk and cost, solve system-level challenges, improve performance and accelerate the path from development to commercialization.
“Opening the CCIR represents another major milestone in what we set out to build here in Decatur – a place where manufacturing, research, education and innovation happen side by side,” said Richard Demirjian, President of TCCI Manufacturing. “Companies are under enormous pressure to develop technologies that are more efficient, more sustainable and ready for a rapidly changing global market. CCIR gives engineering teams the ability to test and validate those technologies under controlled, real-world conditions, while working alongside our engineers to solve application challenges and get better technologies to market faster.”
Advancing Thermal Management and Next-Generation Refrigerant Research
A critical element of the CCIR is its focus on natural and next-generation refrigerant technologies. As manufacturers respond to evolving environmental standards and transition toward refrigerants with lower global warming potential, the ability to evaluate complete thermal systems under realistic operating conditions is increasingly important.
The CCIR’s refrigerant capabilities include two climatic system test benches, each capable of testing single- or dual-evaporator systems at up to 50 kW. Independently controlled temperature, humidity and airflow zones allow engineers to replicate vehicle-specific system configurations and evaluate compressors, front and rear HVAC, battery chillers, heat pumps and other thermal architectures under simulated real-world conditions.
The Natural Refrigerant Testing Center builds on a $650,000 matching grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, announced in April 2025, supporting natural refrigerant research, real-world HVAC and thermal system simulation, and testing related to evolving energy and environmental standards.
“The transition to lower-impact refrigerants requires the ability to test, validate and scale new technologies safely and effectively,” said Illinois EPA Director Jennings. “The CCIR gives manufacturers and researchers access to the capabilities they need to advance those solutions while supporting Illinois’ broader emissions-reduction goals. The Illinois EPA is proud to support a project that connects environmental progress with technological innovation and economic growth.”
A $45 Million Clean Energy Innovation Ecosystem
CCIR is a cornerstone of TCCI’s $45 million Clean Energy Innovation Hub, a public-private initiative that brings together made-in-America electric compressor manufacturing, advanced research and validation, and workforce development in one location.
The Hub creates an integrated pathway where technologies can be built, tested, validated and scaled, supporting global OEMs, researchers and partners while strengthening domestic supply chains and Illinois’ advanced manufacturing capabilities. The Clean Energy Innovation Hub was also the first project supported through the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) Act.
“TCCI is a perfect place to begin this year’s Makers on the Move tour because this facility shows exactly where Illinois manufacturing is headed,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “Manufacturing today is research, technology, engineering and highly skilled people working together to solve incredibly complex problems. The CCIR puts all of that under one roof and demonstrates that world-class manufacturing innovation isn’t limited to the coasts or overseas. It is happening right here in Decatur, Illinois.”
“The Climatic Center for Innovation & Research reflects TCCI’s continued investment in Illinois and is helping chart a brighter future for Decatur and our state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The center will help manufacturers test new technologies and bring them to market, strengthening Decatur’s role as a hub for advanced manufacturing. Through our partnerships with community colleges, we’re also preparing local workers to be part of that growth. I look forward to seeing the innovations and new technologies that emerge from the new climatic center in the years ahead.”
Connecting Research to the Workforce
The CCIR will also serve as a hands-on learning environment for the Clean Energy Workforce Academy, TCCI’s partnership with Richland Community College.
Launched in 2025, the Academy connects students and workers to career pathways across clean energy, advanced manufacturing, mobility and emerging technologies. Access to TCCI engineers, equipment and research environments gives participants exposure to the technologies and skills being deployed in industry today.
“The opportunity for our students to learn in a facility like the CCIR changes what workforce education can look like,” said Cristobal Valdez, President of Richland Community College. “Students can see how technologies are developed, tested and applied in a real manufacturing environment, creating a direct connection between education and careers while helping build the skilled workforce needed for continued innovation and investment.”
About the Climatic Center for Innovation & Research
TCCI Manufacturing’s Climatic Center for Innovation & Research (CCIR) is an advanced research, development and testing facility within TCCI’s Clean Energy Innovation Hub in Decatur, Illinois. The CCIR supports full-vehicle, system and component-level development and validation for advanced thermal management, vehicle systems, compressor technologies, and natural and next-generation refrigerants. Through collaboration with industry, government and higher education, CCIR is designed to accelerate innovation and move technologies from development toward commercialization.
About TCCI Manufacturing
TCCI Manufacturing is a global leader in advanced compressor and thermal management technology, delivering high-performance, system-level solutions for commercial and specialty vehicles and recreational platforms. Headquartered in Decatur, Illinois, with operations across the United States, China, India, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Mexico and Italy, TCCI combines global manufacturing, engineering and testing expertise to support customers across trucking, construction, agriculture, transport refrigeration and other demanding applications.
