SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Air Innovations Inc. was named the ninth fastest growing small business in Central New York atCentral New York Business Journal’s“Fast Track” awards presentation in Syracuse, N.Y.

Air Innovations President and CEO Michael Wetzel, P.E., attributed the company’s growth and success to its “diverse customer base, a committed management team driving divisional and departmental momentum, cross-trained factory workers, and partnerships with vendors that help the company source components that solve our clients’ needs.”

TheCentral New York Business Journal’sannual Fast Track competition, sponsored by the accounting firm of Fust Charles Chambers LLP CPAs and HSBC Bank USA, N.A., was based on corporate revenues and employment levels for the past three fiscal years. The 21 winners included manufacturers, high-tech companies, banks, retail, and professional services firms, representing the 16-county central New York region that extends from the Canadian border to Binghamton.

Wetzel also credited Air Innovations’ accomplishments to “our specialized product expertise in building environmental control systems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and facility enhancements that gave us more flexibility in accommodating higher production volumes.” Wetzel added, “We also identified and applied for grants that underwrote continued technology development on two product lines that have significant market share potential.” Additional investment in intellectual property protection for these new products ensures they are well positioned for strategic growth, he said.

The company’s focus is on the design, test, and manufacture of products that require precise control of temperature, humidity, pressure, and air filtration. “We don’t provide ‘commercial-off-the-shelf’ products; instead, we take a value-added approach to client engagements, developing and producing engineering content that meets our clients’ individualized and demanding specifications such as explosion proofing, filtration that achieves parts-per-million levels, temperature control to 0.01°C, and humidity control to 0.5 percent stability,” Wetzel explained. “We are experts at environmental control systems that need to work under a variety of challenging conditions, from +40°C and full sunlight to -40°C and utter darkness, for manufacturers of satellite dishes, solar panels, medical devices, and unmanned guided vehicles, among others. Oftentimes, our technology has to conform to small dimensions, from about the size of a microwave, but we also have built systems that are as big as a two-car garage. These HVACR packages must be able to tolerate stringent reliability and compatibility standards, as well.”

For more information, visit www.airinnovations.com.

Publication date:01/04/2010