U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu Visits United Technologies Research Center to Champion Research, Development and Innovation

EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Feb. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today visits United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), the corporate research center of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), to tour of its laboratories and meet with employees to affirm the significance of research and development in leading a new wave of innovation that also will create jobs.

The UTRC visit represents a return for Secretary Chu, who toured the center in 2008 while serving as the Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Since that time, UTRC has aggressively grown its portfolio of research programs targeting energy efficiency and sustainability. Notable among these, UTRC is a key corporate research member of an initiative led by Penn State University to establish the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC), a $129 million project publicly launched Thursday by President Obama and Secretary Chu. The intent of the GPIC is to leverage core research to seed the commercialization and manufacture of new energy efficiency technologies, and to train a highly skilled workforce needed to build and deploy these advanced systems.

"I believe United Technologies' commitment as a technology leader in energy efficiency and sustainability is positively reflected in the agenda of the current administration and its passion and commitment to innovation, and we are honored to host Secretary Chu at the Research Center," said Dr. J. Michael McQuade, UTC Senior Vice President, Science and Technology.

UTRC employs more than 500 people throughout the world, with the vast majority working at its headquarters in East Hartford, Conn.

"One of the good news stories at UTRC is the story of growth," said Dr. David Parekh, Vice President, Research, and Director, UTRC. "We actively are pursuing top-level technical talent to advance the products that UTC businesses bring to market to provide solutions for the energy challenges facing our society."

UTRC estimates significant growth in employee numbers in 2011 compared to the previous two years, particularly among its Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers. This growth is largely driven by increasing numbers of Department of Energy and corporate funded research programs on innovative energy systems.

Founded in 1929, United Technologies Research Center is located in East Hartford, Connecticut, and operates research and development centers in Shanghai, China, and Cork, Ireland.  For more information, visit www.utrc.utc.com.

United Technologies Corp. is a diversified company whose products include Carrier heating and air conditioning, Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace systems and industrial products, Otis elevators and escalators, Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines, Sikorsky helicopters, UTC Fire & Security systems and UTC Power fuel cells.

SOURCE United Technologies Corp.