Airtherm Corporation

What Airtherm Corporation does

Airtherm Corporation is a privately held industrial engineering firm headquartered in Longview, Washington, that designs, manufactures, and installs custom air systems and steam systems for the paper, tissue, and related manufacturing industries. The company's heritage traces to AER Corporation (founded 1961); the current entity was formed in 1986 when the AER-Overly segment of Thermo Electron Web Systems was spun off as a standalone company. Airtherm's product portfolio spans paper machine hoods (totally enclosed and open type), pocket ventilation systems, Yankee hoods for tissue drying, hood exhaust systems, vapor absorption nozzles, heat recovery systems (air-to-air, air-to-water/glycol, and direct spray economizers), sheet stabilization airfoils, dust control and collection systems, dryers and ovens, trim and material conveying systems, and steam and condensate systems. Its proprietary AERflow concept integrates machinery type, building configuration, local climate, and process air systems into a unified ventilation design, supported by CFD analysis and custom PLC-based control systems.

The company's go-to-market is exclusively direct enterprise field sales through experienced sales engineers and project designers who provide complete project responsibility from initial engineering and field surveys through fabrication, installation supervision, and post-installation service. Revenue streams consist of one-time custom system sales, replacement and spare parts (including OEM parts for systems dating back to predecessor companies from 1961), and post-installation professional services. Customers are concentrated in paper mills, tissue and towel manufacturers, and corrugated packaging facilities — industrial segments requiring high-temperature drying, moisture control, energy efficiency, and vapor confinement solutions. Airtherm expanded its capabilities through the 2010 acquisition of Fluidaire, adding airfoil-based sheet stabilization technology to its portfolio, and continues to operate with a small headcount (11-50 employees) serving the North American industrial market.

Name

Airtherm Corporation

Legal name

AIRTHERM Corporation

Website

https://airthermcorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Airtherm Corporation is a privately held Longview, WA-based industrial engineering firm that designs, manufactures, and installs custom air systems, hoods, heat recovery, and steam systems for paper mills, tissue manufacturers, and corrugated packaging facilities, with over 50 years of specialized experience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Air Systems for Paper Manufacturing

NAICS

Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413)

SIC

Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564), Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro primary industry

Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emission Control & Scrubbing Equipment (Scrubbers, Dust Collectors, Catalytic Systems) (IMAHAEAK), Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)

Keywords

• Industrial air systems
• Paper machine ventilation
• Tissue drying systems
• Heat recovery systems
• Dust collection systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Longview

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Air Systems Design and Installation: AIRTHERM provides engineering, manufacturing and installation services for complete project responsibility. Custom designed systems are sold as complete project solutions including design, fabrication, and installation supervision.
2. Replacement Parts and Spare Parts: Supply of replacement and spare parts for AIRTHERM systems and systems from predecessor companies (AER Corporation, AER-Overly, Thermo Electron Web Systems) dating back to 1961. Also provides parts for other vendors systems.
3. Post Installation Services: Services to ensure customer satisfaction after system installation, including field studies, surveys, repairs, upgrades and commissioning support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Airtherm Corporation designs, engineers, manufactures, and installs custom industrial air and steam systems for the paper, tissue, and related industries. Offerings include pocket ventilation systems, paper machine hoods, Yankee hoods, heat recovery systems, sheet stabilization, dust collection, dryers and ovens, steam and condensate systems, and OEM replacement parts—with complete project responsibility from field survey through commissioning.

Product overview

AIRTHERM Corporation provides custom and innovative air systems and steam systems to the paper, tissue, and related industries. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of engineered products including: Industrial Building Ventilation systems (AERflow concept) and Dust Control and Collection systems for facility environmental management; Paper Machine Hoods (totally enclosed and open type) and Basement Enclosures for dryer section containment; Pocket Ventilation Systems and Hood Exhaust Systems for process air management; Yankee Hoods and Air Systems for tissue and towel drying; Heat Recovery Systems (air-to-air, air-to-water/glycol, and direct spray economizers); Steam and Condensate systems for dryer drainage; Dryers and Ovens (impingement, flotation, and thru-air designs); Sheet Stabilization, Trim Conveying Systems, Material Conveying Systems, and Miscellaneous Process Systems (sheet cooling, mist elimination, web cleaning); Vapor Absorption Nozzles; and Replacement Parts with records dating back to 1961. The company provides engineering, manufacturing, and installation services for complete project responsibility, with acquired product lines including Fluidaire sheet stabilization technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hood Exhaust Systems Industrial hood exhaust systems with built-in dampers for efficient vapor removal and balanced humidity control in paper machine environments. Designed for paper mills and tissue manufacturers to manage vapor and humidity in machine dryer sections.
• Pocket Ventilation Systems Custom systems that improve drying rates, reduce steam use, and boost production by ventilating the paper machine dryer section through cross-machine boxes that absorb moisture, prevent condensation and corrosion, and increase the drying rate.
• Vapor Absorption Nozzle Nozzles that purge moisture from return felt fabric and supply heated air to un-felted dryer sections and basement enclosure areas. Used by paper mills to manage moisture transport within the dryer section.
• Yankee Hoods and Air Systems High-efficiency drying systems for tissue and towel production featuring proprietary nozzle design with reduced fuel requirements and documented thermal efficiency, for all applications including tissue, towel, and MG specialty grades.
• Heat Recovery Systems Systems that capture and reuse waste heat from industrial processes including air-to-air, air-to-water/glycol, and direct spray economizer configurations, reducing energy consumption by up to 70%.
• Sheet Stabilization Airfoil-based systems to control sheet flutter, floppy edges, and sheet spreading for machines operating at speeds up to 6,000 FPM and sheet widths up to 240 inches. Used by paper mills running high-speed paper machines.
• Trim Conveying Systems Systems that transport reel or winder trim to a pulper or through a chopper to a cyclone collector and baling system for repulping or disposal. For paper and converting facilities.
• Material Conveying Systems Systems for handling waste material including trim, broke, butt rolls, and rejects from tissue, paper, board, film, and foil manufacturing with separators, cyclones, balers, conveyors, and shredders.
• Miscellaneous Process Systems Sheet cooling systems, mist eliminator systems, and web cleaner systems for various paper, converting, and printing applications.
• Dust Control and Collection Custom dust control and collection systems including dry pulse jet cartridge/bag filter houses, dry rotary drum filters, and wet venturi scrubbers for cleaner products and work conditions at paper and converting facilities.
• Paper Machine Hoods Totally enclosed and open type hood enclosures for paper machine dryer sections that enhance drying, increase thermal efficiency, and reduce noise at paper mills.
• Basement Enclosures Structures that minimize cool air infiltration into the dryer section and control the drying environment, working in conjunction with paper machine hoods for complete vapor confinement.
• Steam and Condensate Systems Complete steam and condensate system designs for the paper industry including dryer drainage systems, thermocompressors, and condensate receiver modules.
• Dryers and Ovens Industrial drying equipment including impingement dryers (MB and 2MB designs), high temperature impingement nozzles (300–600°F), flotation dryers (AF and TF slotted nozzle designs), and flat-bed thru-air dryers for web and bulk material processing.
• Industrial Building Ventilation Custom building ventilation systems for manufacturing and converting facilities using the AERflow concept, with air make-up units, ceiling ventilation, false ceilings, exhaust systems, and heat recovery equipment.
• Replacement Parts OEM replacement parts for AIRTHERM, AER Corporation, AER-Overly, and other systems with project records dating back to 1961, including supply for systems from other vendors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Heat recovery systems can reduce energy consumption by up to 70%
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Valmet: Global leader in pulp and paper process technology, offering complete paper machines, drying sections, hoods, ventilation systems and aftermarket services. Overlaps directly with Airtherm's core dryer-section ventilation and hood product lines as part of a much broader portfolio.
• Andritz: Major global supplier of pulp and paper processing equipment, stock preparation systems and drying technologies. Competes with Airtherm on capital projects for paper mills, particularly in drying sections and air-system-related process equipment.
• Voith Paper: Major supplier of paper machines, dryer sections, hood systems and air systems for the global pulp and paper industry. Competes with Airtherm on paper machine hoods, pocket ventilation, and complete dryer-section air management for large mill projects.

Others

• Alfa Laval: Global supplier of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling equipment including heat exchangers used in industrial energy recovery. Their heat exchanger and steam system products overlap with Airtherm's heat recovery and steam/condensate product lines.

Emerging players

• Atlas Copco (Power and Flow division): Supplies industrial blowers, compressors and air management equipment for industrial facilities. Their industrial fans and blowers compete with Airtherm's exhaust and air make-up systems in certain industrial ventilation applications beyond paper.
• SPX Technologies (Dry Cooling and Heating & Ventilation): Through its Marley and related brands, SPX manufactures industrial fans, cooling, and ventilation products. Their industrial air movement and heat transfer equipment overlaps with portions of Airtherm's ventilation and heat recovery product portfolio in industrial markets.

Direct peers

• Munters: Provider of industrial air treatment and climate-control solutions including humidification, dehumidification, and air distribution systems. Munters' industrial humidity-control and air management products overlap with Airtherm's pocket ventilation and building ventilation offerings for process manufacturing.
• FläktGroup: Specialist manufacturer of industrial air handling, ventilation, and air distribution equipment including fans, air handling units, dampers and louvers. Their product portfolio overlaps directly with Airtherm's industrial building ventilation, hood exhaust, and air make-up unit offerings.
• GEA Group: Global manufacturer of industrial drying, separation, and air handling equipment including impingement, flotation and through-air dryers. Their industrial drying technologies compete directly with Airtherm's dryer and oven product line for paper, tissue and converting applications.
• Kadant Inc. Kadant emerged from the Lodding segment of Thermo Electron Web Systems, the same corporate predecessor as Airtherm. Both serve pulp and paper mills with custom process equipment (doctoring, fluid handling, drying accessories), making them the closest heritage and product-overlap peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Airtherm Corporation