If ever there was the right brand at the right time, it’s aeris. With its line of next-generation air purifiers, the company was an instant hit when it launched its first product in China in 2017. In light of global events this year, it’s unsurprising that 2020 has seen this health-focused outfit go stratospheric.
Founder CEO Pierre Bi explains: “Right now we’re growing at almost break- neck speed. We’re seeing revenue jump 6-10 times higher compared to the previous year – and it’s not stopping. Demand and sales are going through the roof, every month they grow by an unprecedented 40%.”
The aeris success story begins in Beijing. On a visit from Switzerland in 2015, Pierre and COO Constantin Overlack witnessed the terrible effects of pollution first-hand.
“The experience of waking up in the morning with a sore throat and not being able to see even to the next block really stuck with me,” says Pierre.
He was halfway through a PhD at MIT when, convinced he could help find a solution to the damage caused by pollution, decided to drop out and establish aeris with Overlack.
Three years of solid research and study at MIT and ETH Zurich ensued. With the know-how of industrial designer Etienne Bougeot, they created a machine with the cleanest and most powerful airflow around.
Brought to market in 2017, a year later aeris had expanded into Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, France, and Mexico. In 2019, the California office was set up and is now ideally
placed to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. “What’s happened in 2020 is a once in a life- time thing,” acknowledges Pierre. “Luckily for us, we were ready.”
aeris air purifiers are made for the hardest situations and the most dangerous environments. These are medical-grade machines, equally at home within a domestic or clinical setting. There’s a line of 10 products currently on the market, ranging from a small air purifier, able to remove 99.95% airborne bacteria, mould, mildew, odour, and other pollutants from any space up to 105 m2, up to a hospital-grade air filtration system that prevents even the most difficult airborne health hazards.
With the world suffering from the deadly virus, these products have been – quite literally in some cases – a lifesaver.
“The most popular product is the “aair 3in1 Pro,” which covers up to 75 m2. It’s special be- cause it has a very high airflow meaning that it can cover large areas and filter out even the tiniest particles, such as the COVID-19, for example. A coating on the filter breaks down the virus itself, and we’ve tested and proved it. On top of that, the product is smart. It can read the air quality in your room. It can estimate how big a room is, including its depth, and react to its environment accordingly.”
What’s more, the team has made a huge effort to ensure that not only is the product highly functional, it looks and feels fantastic.
“aeris comes in a variety of colours because customers want to see something that really fits into their living space,” says Pierre. “While the brand was perfectly placed to make a kill- ing from the pandemic, aeris, like manufacturers around the world, had logistics problems to contend with as a result of the world falling apart. When your top line is growing like crazy you need to have the right partners on the production and supply side who are willing to go the extra mile. Fortunately, from the outset, we had a robust supply strategy in mind. In business, it’s crucial to be ready for the unexpected so you can operate in even the most difficult conditions.”
Read the full article here.
