Research Products Corporation

What Research Products Corporation does

Research Products Corporation (RPC) is a Madison, Wisconsin-based Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) solutions provider founded in 1938, operating as a privately-held subsidiary of Madison Air (publicly traded as MAIR). The company designs, manufactures, and distributes humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air filtration systems, ventilation controls, radon mitigation equipment, and HVAC zoning products through a portfolio of sub-brands: AprilAire (residential, since 1954), Santa-Fe (commercial dehumidifiers assembled in Madison), DriSteem (industrial/institutional humidification, Eden Prairie MN), RP Filter (filtration), EWC Controls (HVAC zoning, New Jersey, acquired 2024), and Anden (cultivation environments). RPC holds a substantial patent estate covering control algorithms, water recycling, ultrasonic failure detection, filter-housing interfaces, and dehumidifier defrost logic.

The business generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) hardware product sales of IAQ equipment via HVAC contractor and dealer-partner networks across North America, (2) professional installation services delivered through an assignee installer network managed by AprilAire, and (3) recurring Auto-ship subscription revenue from automatic filter and consumable replacement deliveries. Go-to-market is predominantly channel-led, with the contractor network serving as the primary recommendation, installation, and service touchpoint, supplemented by direct e-commerce through brand websites.

RPC serves residential homeowners ("millions of families"), commercial and industrial facilities (healthcare, data centers, institutional), HVAC contractors and professionals, professional cultivation operations, and restaurant/commercial kitchen operators. The company employs 501–1,000 people across Madison WI, Eden Prairie MN, and New Jersey, and continues to invest in R&D (multiple pending patents), smart/connected IAQ devices, and tuck-in M&A (EWC Controls, 2024) to broaden the addressable IAQ stack.

Name

Research Products Corporation

Legal name

Research Products Corporation

Website

https://researchproducts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Research Products Corporation is a Madison, Wisconsin-based Indoor Air Quality solutions provider founded in 1938, operating brands including AprilAire, DriSteem, Santa-Fe, and EWC Controls to serve residential, commercial, industrial, and cultivation customers via HVAC contractor networks and direct channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indoor Air Quality Equipment

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling) (IMAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Air Filtration & Indoor Air Quality Components (Filters/UV/ERVs-HRVs) (IMADANAE), Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG), Dampers, Louvers & Ventilation Controls (IMADANAD), HVAC, Water Heaters & Indoor Air Quality Distribution (CRAOAFAJ), Humidifier & Dehumidifier Installation & Service (HSAOAIAJ)

Keywords

• Indoor air quality solutions
• Whole-house humidifiers
• Commercial dehumidifiers
• Air filtration systems
• HVAC zoning controls

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: Sale of IAQ equipment including humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air filters, ventilation controls, and HVAC zoning systems. Products are sold through professional contractors who install the equipment at customer sites.
2. Professional Installation Services: AprilAire assigns professional installers who deliver and install products at customer residences. The company manages this through an assignee network model.
3. Auto-ship Recurring Orders: AprilAire offers Autoship subscription program for automatic reordering and delivery of filter replacements and consumable products on a scheduled basis.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Research Products Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes indoor air quality equipment, including whole-house and commercial humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air filtration systems, ventilation controls, radon mitigation products, and HVAC zoning systems. Products are sold across multiple sub-brands (AprilAire, Santa-Fe, DriSteem, RP Filter, EWC Controls, Anden) to residential homeowners, commercial/industrial facilities, professional cultivators, and HVAC contractors, with installation typically performed by an assigned professional contractor network.

Product overview

Research Products Corporation operates as a diversified portfolio company offering professional-grade indoor air quality solutions across residential, commercial, and industrial segments. The company is organized as a collection of sub-brands: AprilAire (residential IAQ - humidifiers, dehumidifiers, radon mitigation, ventilation), Santa-Fe (commercial dehumidifiers), Anden (cultivation-environmental control), RP Filter (air filtration), DriSteem (industrial/commercial humidification and evaporative cooling), and EWC Controls (HVAC zoning - acquired 2024). The portfolio addresses the full spectrum of indoor air quality needs from single-room to whole-building solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AprilAire: Residential-focused business making homes healthy through intuitive design and professional-grade Indoor Air Quality solutions including humidifiers, dehumidifiers, radon mitigation, and ventilation. Trusted by contractors and millions of families since 1954.
• Santa-Fe
• RP Filter
• DriSteem
• EWC Controls
• Anden

Products and services

• AprilAire Residential Indoor Air Quality Systems Professional-grade residential indoor air quality products including whole-house evaporative humidifiers (720 Series), dehumidifiers, air filtration, fresh air ventilation, and radon mitigation systems. Sold through AprilAire's website and installed by assigned professional contractors; consumables available via Auto-ship subscription.
• Santa-Fe Commercial Dehumidifiers Commercial-grade dehumidifiers including free-standing and whole-home ducted ventilating models for a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications. Features energy efficiency, superior filtration, and an unmatched warranty.
• DriSteem Industrial and Commercial Humidification Systems Industrial, institutional, and commercial humidification systems, evaporative cooling solutions, and water treatment products designed for critical environments such as healthcare facilities, data centers, and commercial buildings requiring precise moisture control.
• EWC Controls HVAC Zoning Systems HVAC zoning solutions including zoning panels, dampers, and accessories that improve comfort, efficiency, and system performance. Operating since 1961 and zoning-focused since 1999, the products are trusted by contractors nationwide.
• Anden Cultivation Environmental Control Systems Professional-grade dehumidifiers, humidifiers, and reverse osmosis water systems optimized for commercial cultivation and grow room environments, providing complete environmental control including optimized RO water systems.
• RP Filter Air Filtration Systems High-performance air filtration solutions including high-quality metal and pleated fabric filters (3F Series) for residential, commercial, and industrial spaces, including restaurants, bars, and other HVAC commercial applications.
• AprilAire Professional Installation Services Professional delivery and installation of AprilAire residential IAQ products at customer residences by assigned contractor-installers. Customers pay prices posted on the AprilAire website and agreements are finalized at RPC's Madison, Wisconsin offices.
• AprilAire Auto-ship Subscription Program Subscription-based recurring delivery service for AprilAire filter replacements and consumable products, scheduled automatically based on customer-selected intervals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products combat pollutants, allergens, and excessive humidity making indoor environments more conducive to health and productivity

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• EWC Controls Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2024PKF Investment Banking represented EWC Controls Inc. in its sale to Research Products Corporation. The transaction met EWC's strategic goals with an acquirer aligned with EWC's customer and employee interests. EWC Controls is a leader in HVAC zoning solutions since 1961, focused on zoning since 1999, providing panels, dampers, and accessories.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Condair Group: Global leader in commercial and industrial humidification (steam, evaporative, adiabatic, ultrasonic). Directly comparable to RPC's DriSteem brand in commercial/institutional humidification and evaporative cooling, with overlapping customer segments in healthcare, data centers, and industrial facilities.
• Therma-Stor (Heat-Wave Technologies): US-based manufacturer of dehumidifiers and IAQ equipment (Santa Fe, Ultra-Aire, Quest). Most direct competitor to RPC's Santa-Fe and Anden brands in residential and light-commercial dehumidification, including the cannabis/cultivation segment.
• Nordmann (Herrmidifier): European-based commercial/industrial humidification specialist (via Herrmidifier legacy). Closely comparable to DriSteem in steam and adiabatic humidification for healthcare, offices, and industrial process applications.
• General Filters / Filtration Group: Manufacturer of residential and commercial air filtration products including whole-house filters, media cabinets, and IAQ accessories. Direct overlap with RPC's RP Filter brand and AprilAire filter consumables in the contractor channel.
• Ebac Industrial Dehumidifiers: US/UK manufacturer of dehumidifiers for residential, commercial, and specialty applications (including water damage restoration and military). Comparable to RPC's Santa-Fe and Anden dehumidifier lines, particularly in commercial and specialty dehumidification use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Carrier Global: Major global HVAC OEM with broad residential, commercial, and applied portfolios that include humidification, dehumidification, air purification, and indoor air quality controls. Competes with RPC across multiple brands and channels but offers IAQ as part of a much wider HVAC portfolio.
• Trane Technologies: Global HVAC and climate solutions provider serving commercial and residential markets. Overlaps with RPC in commercial dehumidification (Santa-Fe, DriSteem) and in IAQ adjacencies, while also competing in commercial refrigeration and building controls.
• Lennox International: Residential and light commercial HVAC manufacturer (Lennox, Allied Air, Heatcraft). Competes with AprilAire in dealer-distributed residential heating/cooling systems and increasingly in IAQ add-ons like filtration and zoning.
• Honeywell International (Honeywell Homes / Building Technologies): Operates a major residential IAQ and thermostat business (T-series, air purifiers, whole-home ventilation) and a building technologies portfolio. Direct overlap with AprilAire in residential thermostats, IAQ controls, and contractor distribution.
• Rheem: Major manufacturer of heating, cooling, and water heating products sold through HVAC contractor and dealer channels. Competes with AprilAire in residential IAQ-adjacent categories and shares the contractor-led distribution model that anchors RPC's go-to-market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Research Products Corporation