Humidification, dehumidification and evaporative cooling systems for industry, data centers, agriculture and healthcare
Condair Group AG
Pfäffikon SZ (CH) · Norderstedt (DE) · Ottawa (CA) · Richmond, Virginia (US) · Ry (DK) · Beijing (CN)New on Amplifa
About Condair
The Condair Group, founded in 1948 in Zurich with headquarters in Pfäffikon (Switzerland), is a manufacturer of humidification, dehumidification and evaporative cooling systems. The portfolio includes isothermal (evaporation) and adiabatic humidification (evaporation and atomisation), duct and direct room humidification, high-pressure humidifiers, hygienic water treatment with reverse osmosis, as well as maintenance and reconditioning of existing systems. Manufacturing and assembly take place at production sites in Europe, North America and China; the central manufacturing and logistics centre for EMEA is located in Norderstedt near Hamburg (8,500 m², of which 5,000 m² production and logistics). The company employs more than 1,000 staff worldwide, has its own sales and service organisations in 23 countries and representatives at 50 locations. Customer industries range from manufacturing, data centers, pharmaceuticals and electronics to food, agriculture and textiles, as well as healthcare, heritage conservation and building services. Revenue is around 250 million Swiss Francs.
- Site
- Pfäffikon SZ
- Processes
- Humidification (Isothermal/Vaporisation), Adiabatic Humidification (Evaporation and Atomisation), Duct Humidification, Direct Room Humidification, Dehumidification, Evaporative Cooling, High-Pressure Humidifiers, Steam Humidifiers
- Materials
- Injection Moulding (Plastics), Reverse Osmosis, BACnet / IoT Connectivity
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015
- Founded
- 1948
- Employees
- more than 1,000
- 01
Engineering and development (R&D, Pfäffikon)
- 02
Manufacturing of components including injection moulding (in-house production)
- 03
Production and assembly of humidification, dehumidification and cooling systems
- 04
Water treatment and hygiene technology
- 05
Logistics and sales (EMEA centre: Norderstedt)
- 06
Service, maintenance and reconditioning of systems
- 07
IoT remote monitoring throughout the product life cycle
Production Processes and Technology
Injection Moulding (Plastics)
An in-house injection moulding production line enables rapid design and prototyping of injection-moulded parts, e.g. plastic instead of glass cylinders for electrothermal units.
Reverse Osmosis
Water treatment systems with reverse osmosis (including a portable pure-water container, since 1982) providing hygienic operating water for the humidification systems.
BACnet / IoT Connectivity
Digital interfaces and BACnet in new product generations (e.g. Condair DL, 4th generation) enable automated communication and remote monitoring.
Locations
Pfäffikon SZ
CHHeadquarters, central management, R&D and administration
Norderstedt
DEManufacturing and logistics centre EMEA, sales, Condair Systems site
- Injection moulding production line
- High-bay warehouse
- Production lines for isothermal and adiabatic humidification, duct and direct room humidification, water treatment
- Service and maintenance area
Ottawa
CAProduction, assembly and logistics centre North America
Richmond, Virginia
USProduction, assembly and logistics for evaporative cooling media (new since 2024, focus on data centers)
Ry
DKProduction of high-pressure humidifiers and sales office
- High-pressure pump systems
Beijing
CNProduction, assembly, sales and logistics centre for China and adjacent regions
Inside the production
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humidification (Isothermal/Vaporisation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Adiabatic Humidification (Evaporation and Atomisation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Duct HumidificationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Direct Room HumidificationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| DehumidificationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Evaporative CoolingEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| High-Pressure HumidifiersEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Steam HumidifiersEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| JetSpray Humidification (compressed air atomisation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Reverse Osmosis Water Purification SystemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Systems for Hygienic Water PurificationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Service and Maintenance / Reconditioning of Humidification SystemsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Plastic Injection Molding (inhouse production line)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Plastic |
| Assembly of Humidification and Cooling SystemsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Production of Evaporative Cooling MediaEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production and Logistics Centre | Condair | 1 | 8,500 m² (5,000 m² production and logistics) | 2017 | Norderstedt, Germany |
| Production/Assembly Hub Evaporative Cooling Media | Condair | 1 | – | – | Richmond, USA |
| Production, Assembly and Logistics Hub | Condair | 1 | – | – | Ottawa, Canada |
| Production of High-Pressure Humidifiers | Condair | 1 | – | – | Ry, Denmark |
| Production, Assembly, Sales and Logistics Hub | Condair | 1 | – | – | Beijing, China |
| New Production Site Evaporative Technologies | Condair | 1 | – | 2024 | Richmond, Virginia, USA |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality Management
At the Norderstedt site, a professional quality management system is in place with certification according to ISO 9001:2015. Key figures on production efficiency are continuously collected and analysed in order to keep optimising manufacturing workflows and processes.
| Evidence | Norderstedt |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 |
History and Milestones
- 1948
Foundation of Defensor AG on 21 June 1948 in Zurich by Dr. Bernhard Joos (aerosol atomisers for disinfection).
- 1961
Plascon (later Condair), founded by Hans Badertscher, introduces the first Swiss steam humidifier (initially as Badertscher + Co., later the Lumatic brand).
- 1982
Steve Verney founds JS Humidifiers in London (JetSpray technique with compressed-air atomisation); DRAABE (Hamburg) launches the portable pure-water container with reverse osmosis on the market.
- 1988
Foundation of ML System a/s in Ry, Denmark, by Leo Rasmussen and Marianne Jager (high-pressure nozzle technology).
- 2001
ML System becomes the first humidifier manufacturer to receive ISO 22000 certification for food safety.
- 2002
Acquisition of DRAABE by the Walter Meier Holding.
- 2010
ML System implements the Medina Haram Piazza project with the Liebherr Group: at that time the largest outdoor evaporative cooling system in the world, with 250 sunshades in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
- 2011
Walter Meier Group acquires ML System a/s (today Condair A/S) and JS Humidifiers (today Condair Ltd).
- 2013/14
Consolidation and restructuring of the Walter Meier Group into one company (One Company).
- 2017
Consolidation onto a single European production site; opening of the manufacturing and logistics centre EMEA in Norderstedt (May 2017), passive house standard; vertical integration of the sales and service organisations.
- 2022
IoT capabilities integrated into new product generations (e.g. Condair DL, 4th generation since 1997) with digital interfaces and BACnet.
- 2023/24
Kuul, the evaporative media division of Portacool, becomes part of the Condair Group; in 2024 the decision was made for a new production site in Richmond, Virginia (focus on data centers).