The air solutions sector is a dynamic and essential player in North American industry. As industrial leaders across the planet recognize the need for safer working conditions, clean air solutions have become became a top priority.
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Long gone are the days of dust-choked factories and soot covered manufacturing staff, an improvement driven by advances in air filtration, dust collection and clean air technologies.
Manufacturing environments have changed immensely over the last five decades. As much of the industry has made the shift towards automation, the potential, but also the hazards of manual labor have transformed. On the manufacturing floor of the twenty-first century, safety and cleanliness are key, and this is where RoboVent comes in.
Jim Reid, the General Manager at RoboVent explained: “The manufacturing of today is so different than it used to be: white walls, white ceiling, clean, crisp, well lit and no haze in the air. It’s a totally different world than it used to be.”
Since 1989, RoboVent has pioneered the clean air revolution. As one of the few firms in the world that offers filtration solutions specialized for the manufacturing industry, RoboVent is a name that has become synonymous with innovation. From metal fabrication and manufacturing to frack sand and fiberglass dust, the firm is tackling some of the biggest occupational safety dilemmas on the planet.
With a client list that hosts the likes of Honda, Toyota, Harley-Davidson, Bobcat, Kubota and John Deere, RoboVent has become the go-to provider for high-end manufacturers across North America. At the heart of the firm is a mission for better working conditions, which is why RoboVent may just be the breath of fresh air the world needs.
Although the industry shift toward safer and cleaner working environments has been happening for decades, RoboVent has faced its biggest expansion in terms of projects and revenues in more recent years. Unlike many others, RoboVent grew steadily throughout the economic downturn and this year looks like it may be one of the company’s best yet.
So what exactly is it that sets RoboVent apart? According to Mr. Reid, it’s a company-wide commitment to progress. “During the recession what we did that others didn’t do, was that we didn’t pull pack. While others were waiting for business to come to them, we went out, kept visiting our clients, kept pushing forward, and, ultimately, that’s what transformed our business.”
In 2000, RoboVent made the ambitious but risky decision to take over the manufacturing of its own technology. Choosing to take on manufacturing meant substantial inward investment and a restructuring of the existing business. Fifteen years later, the decision has proved to be a wise one. RoboVent has expanded not only its earnings, but its national reach. From a two million dollar firm in 2000, RoboVent has reached new ambitious heights, coming in around the thirty million dollar mark just last year.
The notion of vertical integration has been popular throughout other sectors for years, but due to the complexity of air solutions, major industrial facilities were often forced to employ multiple stakeholders in the quest for safe facilities. Much like a construction endeavor, air filtration requires the conglomeration of multiple elements and expertise. Generally, clean air firms are expert in one process of filtration or dust removal, often turning to outside contractors for equipment and installation.
RoboVent kick started a new realm of possibility by offering turnkey solutions, cutting down on costs, timelines and the number of vendors involved in the clean air process. From manufacturing the product through to maintenance ongoing, RoboVent does it all, a feat that keeps clients coming back for more.
“The biggest thing that sets us apart is that we are turnkey and we can support our clients all across the country. So, if a firm has multiple facilities, we can support them wherever they are,” says Jim Reid. “We manufacture the equipment; we do the design, the installation, project management and service after-the-fact.”
RoboVent has an in-house team of highly-trained engineers, project managers and tradesmen. Taking on everything from fresh air ventilation, dust collection, weld fume control and metal-cutting dust control, these experts provide customers with holistic solutions and peace of mind.
No two RoboVent systems are quite the same. The RoboVent approach is built around the notion that one size does not fit all, and thus, each project is approached and solved independently. This level of specialization outperforms the cookie-cutter solutions that many businesses have come to accept and are only possible as a result of the company’s vertically integrated structure.
Although there are obvious monetary benefits to streamlining the air filtration process, quite possibly the biggest advantage of these turnkey solutions is the quality of the results. RoboVent creates integrated systems that work throughout a facility to respond to the complexity of air cleaning dilemmas. The systems provide superior results while incorporating both high-end technology and systematic planning to reduce the overall intrusiveness of air filtration and dust collection.
As federal regulations and overall industry practices advance, the importance of industry-specific clean air solutions has become apparent, and this is where RoboVent shines. Safety and the reduction of hazardous pollutants are one major reason firms across the country seek out RoboVent, but the other reason be surprising. The increase in automated manufacturing solutions has affected not only the way things are made, but employee hiring.
As firms compete to attract the best staff, research has found that more attractive and safe facilities nearly always draw in better staff. Today, hundreds of companies across the country have turned to RoboVent to revamp facilities, viewing clean air solutions as a valuable and efficient means of attracting new laborers.
RoboVent is one of the few firms that are dedicated solely to the clean air needs of the manufacturing and industrial sectors. With nearly three decades in these environments, the firm has not only the technology, but the experience to tackle large scale, multi-facility issues.
For years, RoboVent has been the first stop for the clean air needs of the metal industry, and, although the firm has grown to serve a wide array of sectors, its legacy remains grounded in metal work. Metal fabrication and processing facilities have a high level of toxic elements like dust, lead and fumes are some of the most difficult environments on the planet in terms of air quality. Very few air quality firms have the capability and expertise to compensate for the unique needs of metalworking facilities, which is in part, the reason behind RoboVent’s swelling popularity within sectors that demand advanced and specified clean air solutions.
As a result of RoboVent’s extensive in-house capabilities, the firm provides a higher level of quality assurance in the form of a performance guarantee. Its 24-hour helpline, a fifteen-year warranty on cabinet and five-year warranty on components and even a lifetime warranty available through its maintenance program offers clients peace of mind that they can’t get elsewhere.
The company has grown astoundingly in the last fifteen years, and it shows no signs of stopping. In continuing its commitment to creating better work environments, the company recently expanded to take on HVAC, offering clients not only clean air, but cool air. The RoboVent ICE that combined dust collection and air conditioning into a unified system has gained widespread industry attention and is quickly becoming a top seller.
Another major development that has recently come from RoboVent is air filtration software which allows project managers to improve the efficiency of system performance. In what RoboVent calls, ‘vent mapping’, users plan, design and implement air filtration systems digitally, prior to any work starting. This projection acts as a snapshot for clients, allowing them to virtually test the system before committing.
From technology to expertise, RoboVent’s innovative approach continues to push the boundaries of clean air processes. But, according to Mr. Reid, it is the RoboVent reputation that guarantees the firm’s growth trajectory for years to come. “The most valuable thing to us is the RoboVent brand and the position it has in the market place. When we walk into a client, they know who we are, and they know they can have confidence in us. And the way we deliver on this brand promise is what continues to set us apart.”
