Our Story
In the late 1970’s, the founder of Austin Air began his mission to improve respiratory health. He realized that the quality of the air we breathe had a direct impact on us. By improving the air in our environment, he knew that he would improve the quality of our lives.
At that time, household air cleaners were designed for cosmetic cleaning and were only equipped to remove visible dust from the air. However, it is the tiniest particles and gases, invisible to the naked eye, that are responsible for most asthma attacks and allergic reactions. There was nothing available that was even close to being able to remove contaminants of this size.
Starting from scratch, we looked beyond what was already being used. We focused our research on the substances that were being used to filter out the tiniest particles for other purposes. Our search led us to the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. We found that high-efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA filters) were being used in laboratories and clean rooms to keep harmful microorganisms from spreading to other parts of the building and out into public spaces.
We knew that by developing a smaller-scale version of the HEPA filter, we were on our way to finding a solution. We then continued our search to find a substance that would remove gas molecules from the air. This led us to the U.S. army, where we learned about the effectiveness of activated carbon in gas masks. We had found the answer, the activated carbon, together with the HEPA filter was used to develop the world’s first high efficiency domestic air cleaner, the Austin Healthmate™. Effectively removing dust, particles and molecular gases, the Austin Healthmate ™ remains the gold standard air cleaner, to which all other air cleaners are compared.
Over the years, our on-going research has kept us in close communication with respiratory experts and the medical community. We are frequently learning of new ways to help more diverse groups of people. It was our work with Dr. Doris Rapp, an internationally renowned expert in child allergies and best-selling author that resulted in the Healthmate Plus™, designed to help the chemically sensitive.
The expertise and guidance of a renowned pulmonary specialist working in one of the country’s leading University Medical Centres was essential in the development of what would become known as the National Sleep Foundation Bedroom Machine™. A machine designed to treat those suffering from sleep related problems such as sleep apnoea and insomnia.
This brings us to where we are today. After many years of working closely with members of the medical community, the US military and organisations such as the Centre for Disease Control, we have found new ways to develop and perfect our products.
It has been this commitment to constantly improving our air cleaners that makes Austin Air a market leader. Our products are now sold in over 130 countries around the world, despite never having advertised nationally or internationally. Austin Air has built its business solely on personal recommendations and word-of-mouth success stories.
It is our goal that one day, all those suffering from chronic respiratory illness will breathe a sigh of relief, effortlessly.
