Srini Koppineedi joins the Distinguished Inventor Club

Thermo King Americas engineer loves the everyday challenges, innovating for a better world

When Srini Koppineedi joined our company in 2008 as a design engineer in ETC Bangalore, he knew it was the right fit for him.

He was excited about the growth opportunities that came with the job, and he didn’t waste much time showing his skills. He moved to senior design engineer in 2010, engineering team lead in 2012, manager - technology in 2014, engineering leader - QDP in 2018, and mobile HVAC, QDP, Aftermarket & Systems engineering leader in 2022.

He found his way to the Thermo King headquarters in Bloomington, Minn., for a long-term new product development project in 2016. Despite the colder weather, he convinced his family to move to Minnesota from India permanently in 2018.

“I love seeing our products in action here,” said Srini. “I get to work with customers, collaborate in person, and perform hands-on testing. The work we do connects industries, prevents food waste, keeps pharma moving and more. We are making a difference in the real world. This is company founded on innovation for problem solving, and I knew I wanted to make the move from India to have an active role in connecting design to application.”

Why engineering?

Becoming an innovator is exactly why Srini chose an engineering career.

“While innovation can happen in many fields, engineering is one of the best places to make an impact. We get to problem-solve, think critically, develop new products with customers in mind, and progress technologies that improve product performance and sustainability,” said Srini, who earned both a mechanical engineering and master’s in refrigeration and air conditioning from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) in India.

With 10 patents under his belt, Srini certainly is making an impact here in our business and for the future. His most recent patent was for work he did on the all-electric TriPac® APU, which protects Thermo King technology and the way we can lead in the future through electrification.

Every innovation matters

The innovation for which Srini is most proud is his first.

“I was working to troubleshoot scroll compressor issues in a product line, discovered a refrigerant migration issue, and invented a concept to fix the situation. Thermo King now owns the innovation for potential future use. I will always remember that first patent,” said Srini.

So how does it feel to earn a Frederick Jones Distinguished Innovator award and be a member of a special group of inventors from around Trane Technologies?

“It was a surprise for me, and I feel proud. I want to thank my co-inventors because a few of my patents were earned by a team, through great collaboration and ‘think tank’ type of work. Teamwork is important in innovation because together we can accomplish more.

“In the end, it is the people in our company that make this a great place to work. We have a culture that is welcoming, supportive and dedicated to continuing our legacy of innovation. I am honored to be part of that tradition.”