She was the first statewide New York official on the scene in Syracuse after the Carrier Corporation, the city's best-known company, announced that it would close its plant and stop making air-conditioners there.

David R. Pannier was vice president for marketing at Unitary Products, which makes small air-conditioners, when the new structure went into place.

United Technologies, which also makes air-conditioners and elevators, said its profits per share would meet Wall Street projections, rising 17 percent in 1999 and 15 percent next year.

Factories, making tires, air-conditioners and other products, have moved into this town of 80,000, as they have into other rural communities, providing steady jobs and higher hourly wages than farm labor.

China has begun making air-conditioners with more modern refrigerants for the European market.

Among the small brotherhood of companies that make and sell air-conditioners, however, heat is bliss.

LEAD: The Fedders Corporation, which makes air-conditioners, said today that it expected sales for 1988 to approach $200 million, up about 50 percent from 1987 sales of $129 million.

Mr. Asadi, at the state-owned electric manufacturer, is hoping for a partnership with an American company like Carrier, which makes air-conditioners.

In China, Mr. Whitwam said, Whirlpool decided to stop making refrigerators and air-conditioners because there was severe overcapacity and other manufacturers planned even more production.

Gree makes air-conditioners of all types, and small household appliances.