GRANDVIEW, Mo. — HVAC manufacturer Ruskin, which specializes in dampers, louvers, energy recovery ventilators (ERV), air-measurement devices, and sound control for HVAC systems, is marking its 65th anniversary.  

“Over the past 65 years, technology, climate change and advancing building standards have continuously jolted the industry,” said Jay Ramkumar, Ruskin’s executive director of national sales, in a press release. “Throughout this evolution, our commitment to service and product development have allowed us to consistently stay ahead of the curve and deliver unmatched air-control solutions year after year.”

Founded in 1958, Ruskin in 1973 opened a state-of-the-art facility in Grandview that would serve as its worldwide headquarters and that included a research and design laboratory that boasted Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) and UL certifications. The lab allowed Ruskin to take its product development a step further by testing equipment in simulated extreme conditions, including for the stringent requirements defined by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and National Quality Assurance (NQA). 

In 1992, Ruskin responded to the effects of a natural disaster after Hurricane Andrew was deemed the largest and most expensive hurricane to hit southern Florida. Ruskin engineers used the testing grounds to pioneer wind-driven rain standards for louvers. 

Also in the early 1990s, Ruskin became the first manufacturer to receive louver product approval for use in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and the first to develop a Federal Emergency Management Agency-rated grille for extreme weather conditions.

Ruskin, part of Johnson Controls Inc., today has 29 production and office locations worldwide.