Air Dynamics expects to see its market opportunity double this year with the introduction of a new commercial-kitchen ventilation system that integrates industrial-class pollution control into conventional kitchen hoods.
Dan Lehman, president and general manager, says the Kitchen Sentry will make commercial cooking cleaner, greener and less susceptible to fires by offering restaurants an integrated system to remove grease, odors, and regulated particulates from cooked air–a fast-growing requirement for restaurants in many metropolitan air basins. But he believes that price will make the package irresistible.
A provider of custom-designed air pollution control since 1991, the private firm, located in York, expects to complete prototype testing, which is being supported by a grant from the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northern and Central PA, by the end of June. Then, Air Dynamics will go to market with two versions of Kitchen Sentry that cover hood sizes of four to 20 feet. Both designs integrate a low-energy scrubber, adapted from systems used for industrial air pollution control, into large-capacity, commercial-kitchen ventilation hoods.
Certified by the principal government agency regulating commercial ventilation systems, Lehman says that Air Dynamics’ integrated design will offer one low-cost, unified solution to a $1 billion market that current designs essentially break into two $500-million industries by adding pollution solutions onto, rather than integrating them into, ventilation systems. With the Kitchen Sentry, Lehman expects to nearly cut in half equipment costs that can approach $500,000 for a two-step ventilation and pollution control system for a full service restaurant.
As an early entrant with this new technology, Lehman is targeting California and Washington, two states where state and local air regulations are driving demand for cleaner cooking.
“We have contractors waiting for the units once the tests are complete,” he says. That’s when he also plans to start expanding his current six-person operation through the end of 2009, by hiring six to seven employees beginning in June, and another 12 in 2010. Depending upon sales levels, Lehman says he can foresee the need to expand his staff in 2011 by two a month.
Source: Air Dynamics, Dan Lehman
Writer: Joseph Plummer
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