Air Quality Process
Air Quality Process designs and manufactures patented hygienic air conditioning and refrigeration systems for the food industry, with a primary focus on cheese production facilities. The Artix, France-based company has equipped 300+ factories globally with 5,000+ USDA-approved units across Europe, North America, and beyond.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersArtix, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Air Quality Process does
Air Quality Process SAS is a French industrial equipment designer and manufacturer specializing in hygienic air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration systems for the food processing industry, with a concentrated focus on cheese production. Founded in 1995 as a subsidiary of SAFRAIR (itself founded in 1979 in Pyrénées-Atlantiques), the company operates from its headquarters and manufacturing facility at the Eurolacq business park in Artix, France. Across the broader QUALIT'AIR holding, Air Quality Process carries a track record of more than 40 years in food-process air treatment, with 300+ factories equipped, 5,000+ air conditioners in operation, and 3,000+ ripening cellars completed globally.
The company's core technology is a patented cylindrical air-to-liquid heat exchanger built from smooth stainless steel tubes containing no dead zones or particle retention elements. This architecture supports turbulent airflow enabling near-100% relative humidity at supply, an integrated NEP/CIP (Clean-in-Place) washing system with 100% accessible internal surfaces, and a variable-speed motor housed in a sealed enclosure outside the treated air stream. The product portfolio comprises floor-standing convertible units, ceiling-mounted units, the Frispace horizontal cold-air-mattress system, mobile CIP cleaning units, ventilated psychrometers, air handling units, and smooth-tube refrigerators. All units are USDA-approved for sanitary safety (first certified in 1988). Beyond hardware, the company generates recurring revenue through engineering and project management, aerodynamic testing (with a 20x10m test chamber), diagnostics and energy audits, Agrément-certified training, and after-sales services including remote monitoring, Vériperf performance audits, and maintenance contracts.
Air Quality Process employs between 11 and 50 staff and is privately held under the family-owned QUALIT'AIR holding structure. Eighty to ninety-five percent of revenue is derived from cheese factories, with 70% of revenue from international exports (2016 data). The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales led by specialized engineers with regional channel partners — notably Jongsma Engineering Solutions BV for the Netherlands (since 2018) and Christian Grandvoinnet for North America — supplemented by participation in industry trade shows such as CFIA Rennes, CheeseCon, American Cheese Society conferences, Anuga FoodTec, and ICTE Cheese Expo. Customers include named European dairy leaders (Sodiaal/UCAFCO, Fruitières Chabert, Abbaye de Cîteaux, Fromagerie Milleret, Bettinehoeve, Özgazi Dairy Foods), Belgian and Swiss cheesemakers (Fromagerie du Gros Chêne, La Fruitière de Charmauvillers), and North American artisan producers (Fiscalini Farmstead, Fromagerie La Station, Fromagerie Montebello). The company reinvests approximately 4% of revenue into R&D annually.
Air Quality Process firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Air Quality Process
- Legal name
- AIR QUALITY PROCESS
- Website
- https://airqualityprocess.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Air Quality Process designs and manufactures patented hygienic air conditioning and refrigeration systems for the food industry, with a primary focus on cheese production facilities. The Artix, France-based company has equipped 300+ factories globally with 5,000+ USDA-approved units across Europe, North America, and beyond.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Air Quality Process industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Hygienic Air Conditioning Equipment
- NAICS
- 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)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Systems (IMAHAKAA)
Keywords
Where Air Quality Process is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Artix
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Air Quality Process business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Air Conditioner Hardware Sales: Sale of proprietary hygienic air conditioners including floor convertible, ceiling-mounted, and specialized Frispace units. Stainless steel construction with unique cylindrical heat exchangers. Includes conditioners for cheese ripening cellars, manufacturing rooms, and general food processing.
- Engineering and Installation Services: Custom engineering design, project management, installation supervision, and commissioning. Includes air flow management studies, energy diagnostics, and full turnkey project delivery integrating refrigeration, piping and electrical systems.
- After-Sales Service and Maintenance: Technical support, performance verification (Vériperf audits), spare parts supply, remote troubleshooting, and maintenance contracts. Includes regulatory supervision, traceability systems, and customer training.
- Professional Training: Agrément-certified training organization providing courses on air conditioning, air flow management, cheese and air interaction, installation operation, control/pilotage, and maintenance. Also serves dairy and engineering schools.
- Diagnostic Services: Air quality diagnostics for production sites and energy diagnostics for installation optimization. Includes contamination risk analysis, thermal balance assessment, cold production analysis, and ROI justification for recommended solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Air Quality Process product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Air Quality Process designs, manufactures, and installs hygienic air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration systems for the cheese and broader agri-food industries. The company sells proprietary cylindrical air conditioners with smooth-tube heat exchangers (floor-standing convertible, ceiling-mounted, and Frispace cold-floor models), plus complementary mobile CIP cleaning units and ventilated psychrometers, supported by engineering, installation, diagnostics, performance audits, training, and after-sales services. The hardware is USDA-approved and engineered for fully cleanable (NEP/CIP) operation in food processing environments.
Product overview
Air Quality Process is a specialist designer and manufacturer of hygienic air conditioning systems for the food processing industry, with a strong focus on cheese production. The product portfolio centers on patented cylindrical air conditioners with smooth stainless steel tube heat exchangers that are fully cleanable in-place (NEP/CIP). The core offerings include floor-standing convertible units and ceiling-mounted units, supplemented by the Frispace cold-space system, mobile CIP cleaning units, and ventilated psychrometers. Services include engineering and project management, aerodynamic testing, diagnostics, performance audits (Vériperf), professional training, and after-sales support. All air conditioners carry USDA approval for food safety.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Safrair: Refrigeration and air-handling equipment for industries and local authorities.
Products and services
- Floor-standing convertible air conditioners (Conditionneurs d'air au sol)
Quantifiable outcome
- 2-5 times reduction in electricity consumption
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Air Quality Process
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Air Quality Process technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Air Quality Process partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jongsma Engineering Solutions BV (Netherlands)coreExclusive partnership since 2018 for Netherlands market. Jongsma Solutions provides dairy production process improvement solutions. Collaborate to deliver optimal air treatment solutions to Dutch dairy clients including Özgazi Dairy Foods.
- Christian GrandvoinnetcoreNorth American agent representing Air Quality Process. Supports client relationships in North America including Fromagerie La Station in Canada.
- OVHCloudminorWeb hosting provider for airqualityprocess.com website. Located at 2 rue Kellermann, 59100 Roubaix, France.
- Adiane SASminorWebsite design, development and hosting company based in Dax, France (www.adiane.com).
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Air Quality Process competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Kelvion: Manufacturer of industrial heat exchangers including hygienic designs used in dairy and food processing; partial overlap with AQP's smooth-tube heat-exchanger technology for food-grade HVAC applications.
Broad incumbents
- Trane Technologies: Global commercial and industrial HVAC manufacturer; competes with AQP at the broader equipment level, particularly for larger food-processing facilities that may use general-purpose HVAC rather than specialist hygienic systems.
- Daikin: World-leading HVAC manufacturer with industrial and food-grade refrigeration offerings; competes with AQP in commercial and light-industrial HVAC but lacks AQP's cheese-specific hygienic specialization.
- Johnson Controls: Global HVAC and building-controls incumbent (York, Sabroe brands); competes broadly with AQP in industrial and commercial cooling, including in food and cold-storage environments, via its Sabroe industrial refrigeration line.
- Carrier Global: One of the world's largest HVAC and commercial refrigeration players; its commercial refrigeration and air-handling units overlap with AQP's offering in food and cold-chain applications, though Carrier is not cheese-specialized.
- GEA Group: Large diversified supplier of process technology to the dairy and food industries, including refrigeration, separators and hygienic processing equipment; overlaps with AQP on refrigeration and air-handling integration in cheese plants.
- Baltimore Aircoil Company: Specialist in industrial evaporative cooling, heat exchangers and air-handling equipment used in food, dairy and industrial processes; competes with AQP where customers choose generic cooling over cheese-specific hygienic design.
Direct peers
- Frigosystem: Italian manufacturer of hygienic air conditioning and refrigeration systems tailored for cheese dairies and food processing — the closest pure-play comparable to AQP, competing head-to-head in cheese-plant HVAC across Southern Europe.
- Alfa Laval: Major supplier of heat exchangers and hygienic process equipment to the dairy and food industries; competes with AQP on plate and tubular heat-exchanger-based hygienic HVAC for cheese and dairy plants.
- Munters: Global specialist in humidity and temperature control for food processing, dairies and ripening rooms; competes directly with AQP in air treatment for cheese and agri-food applications, though with a much broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Air Quality Process social profiles
Digital presenceAir Quality Process compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Air Quality Process financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Air Quality Process leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Air Quality Process funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Air Quality Process M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Air Quality Process
What does Air Quality Process do?
Air Quality Process designs, manufactures, and installs hygienic air conditioning, ventilation, and refrigeration systems for the cheese and broader agri-food industries. The company sells proprietary cylindrical air conditioners with smooth-tube heat exchangers (floor-standing convertible, ceiling-mounted, and Frispace cold-floor models), plus complementary mobile CIP cleaning units and ventilated psychrometers, supported by engineering, installation, diagnostics, performance audits, training, and after-sales services. The hardware is USDA-approved and engineered for fully cleanable (NEP/CIP) operation in food processing environments.
Is Air Quality Process a public or private company?
Air Quality Process is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Air Quality Process founded?
Air Quality Process was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Air Quality Process based?
Air Quality Process is headquartered in Artix, France, in the Europe region.
How does Air Quality Process make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Air Conditioner Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are engineering and Installation Services, after-Sales Service and Maintenance, professional Training and diagnostic Services.
Who are Air Quality Process's main competitors?
Kelvion is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Trane Technologies, Daikin, Johnson Controls, Carrier Global, GEA Group and Baltimore Aircoil Company. Direct peers are Frigosystem, Alfa Laval and Munters.
Does Air Quality Process have an API?
No public API is recorded for Air Quality Process.
What industry is Air Quality Process in?
Air Quality Process's product category is Industrial Hygienic Air Conditioning Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAKAG, Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment, with a secondary code of IMAHAKAA, Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Systems. Its NAICS code is 333415 and its SIC code is 3585.