Humidity control specialist, Condair, is celebrating its 75-year anniversary.
The company was founded in 1948 as Defensor AG in Switzerland by chemist, Dr Bernard Joos.
Condair will commemorate the occasion with celebrations planned across its many offices around the world.
The first product offered back in 1948 was an air spray disinfection system, which “defended” against cattle infections, hence the company name at the time of Defensor. It was soon realised that the humidification properties of the atomiser were greatly beneficial in several manufacturing sectors, particularly cheese ripening rooms.
Through the 1950s and sixties, Defensor continued to develop humidification technologies in fierce competition with the other main player in the market, Plascon. Spray and evaporative humidifiers were advanced by the two companies, along with the invention of the electrode boiler steam humidifier and the pioneering use of resistive element heaters to boil water and humidify the air.
In 1975, a Swiss importing business, Walter Meier, looking to diversify its portfolio acquired Defensor and entered the humidification market. Then in 1981 it also acquired Plascon, bringing together the two leading humidification companies. The 1980s also saw expansion into North America with the acquisition of Nortec, a significant distributor for both Defensor and Plascon, along with the rebranding of Plascon to Condair.
Further acquisitions in the sector resulted in a total of 12 humidifier companies being owned by the Walter Meier Group by 2012. The decision was then taken by the principal shareholder, Silvan Meier, to consolidate operations under the motto of “one brand, one company” and bring together all its interests in the humidity control sector under the banner of Condair.
Today Condair operates sales and service organisations in 23 countries, has distribution partners in a further 50 regions, and manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe and North America.
The company has been the driving force in the sector, having invented systems such as the electrode boiler steam humidifier, which is probably the most widely used type of industrial humidifier in the world.
Read More at:
https://www.condairgroup.com/company-information/75-years-anniversary