Daikin Americas, with its home base in Minnesota, aims to become continent's No. 1 HVAC brand

With plants in Faribault and Owatonna, Daikin Applied Americas is making Minnesota home. The rat-a-tat-tat of pounded steel darted across the Daikin heating and cooling equipment factory in Faribault like machine-gun fire — and it made Will Fort smile. “That hole puncher … is the sound of money!” the general manager said during a recent tour of the sprawling factory.