Virus and the climate crisis. On its 65th birthday, Munters is more relevant than ever and in a unique positioned to tackle today’s global challenges.
When Carl Munters founded his company in 1955, he brought with him innovative solutions for creating the best indoor air for people and industries. Today, his air treatment solutions are more critical than ever.
One area where Munters’ products can play an important part is to reduce the world's energy consumption.
“There are many industries where we see the potential to achieve a lot with our technology,” says Klas Forsström, President and CEO of Munters. “For example, the world's food production must increase and become more efficient in the future as the population grows. Otherwise, there is a risk of food shortages and that emissions from production become too large. With our products and solutions, farmers use much less energy and animals live in better conditions which minimizes the use of antibiotics.”
One of the main reasons why customers turn to Munters is to extend and improve the service life of their own products and services. Examples of this are bridges and windmills.
“A large and growing part of today’s trade and industry is dependent on the ability to control the humidity to avoid unnecessary wear and tear,” adds Forsström. “With today's technology, it is possible to create the perfect conditions. That said, we are constantly working to develop new technology to create even better and more efficient products and solutions. Sustainability is, and always has been, a very important part of our product development and strategy.”
Another area where Munters can play an important role is in combating viruses. Several studies show that an indoor climate with an air humidity of between 40% and 60% can effectively reduce the spread of various types of viruses, including influenza. Somewhat simplified, the water droplets carrying the infection become too heavy to stay in the air at higher humidity. They fall faster to the ground where they pose much less risk.
“With investments in modern climate control, we can effectively reduce the spread of infectious viral diseases in the workplace and in public environments,” says Forsström. “The technique used is simple and well proven, and we have the necessary expertise to help governments tackle issues with pandemics.”
Innovation is the hallmark of Munters, both historically and today. Carl Munters sold his first patent to Electrolux shortly after graduation. Together with another inventor Baltzar von Platen, Carl invented the first refrigerator for use at home without moving parts. This dramatically improved the ability to store food in the home.
“Carl Munters' spirit lives on in the company in a combination of innovation and technical expertise,” Forsström says. “Many of his nearly 1,000 patents are still used today.”
This year, Munters celebrates its 65th anniversary and is one of the most well-established Swedish industrial companies. The head office is located in Kista, outside of Stockholm, and the company has operations in 30 countries. Munters has annual net sales of more than SEK 7 billion and is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm Stock Exchange.
“With age comes experience, knowledge and expertise,” Forsström says. “We’re in a unique position to tackle today’s challenges and we look forward to helping to create a more sustainable world for future generations for many years to come.”