Systemair’s history

In May 2007 Gerald Engström received the Major Export Award by the Swedish Trade Council from the king of Sweden.

Foundation

Systemair was founded in 1974 on initiative by Gerald Engström together with two colleagues under the name L.H.G. Kanalfläkt AB. The business was based on a product idea, the circular duct fan, which simplifies the installation of fans in ventilation systems. Production started in small scale in Skinnskatteberg. Right from the start, export sales exceeded 50 percent of total sales, due to successful marketing activities in Norway. The product range was gradually expanded to include rectangular duct fans and export sales to other European markets were initiated.

1970s and 1980s

Systemair’s international expansion process began by the establishment of a sales company in Finland. During the 1980s, the expansion continued with an acquisition in Denmark. Systemair also started exporting to the United States in 1981 through the company RB Kanalflakt in Sarasota, Florida, which was founded by a sales agent. The Norwegian sales company Jolin was acquired towards the end of the 1980s.

1990s

1990-1997
The company became much larger in 1992, when Frico International was acquired. Frico was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange at the time. With this acquisition, fan heaters and air curtains were added to the product range. During the latter part of the 1990s, the distribution strategy was changed following a decision to sell through wholly-owned subsidiaries instead of using a combination of in-house and external sales organisations. A representation office was opened in Moscow in 1997. In 1995, Systemair acquired Environment Air in Canada, a producer of heat exchangers and also a customer. The company took over a production unit in Bouctouche, Canada, in 1996, mainly used for the production of duct fans and heat exchangers for residential ventilation for the North American market. In 1997, the company acquired SCIE Systemair, the sales agent in France, and the name later became the name of the whole Group.

1998/1999
During the financial year 1998/1999, Systemair acquired Europair in Södertälje, a developer and seller of air terminal divices and iris dampers. In the same year, Systemair acquired the German company LTI Lüftungstechnik in Windischbuch, Germany, including production facilities and subsidiaries in Poland, England and Singapore. This company became a key production unit and distribution centre in Systemair’s logistics system. The company produces and markets ventilation equipment both for the domestic market and for export markets. Systemair also acquired the French company Sertim, a producer of radiant heaters.

1999/2000
A sales company in Estonia, including a subsidiary in Latvia, was acquired. In the same year, a representation office was opened in Shanghai.

2000s

2000/2001
In 2000/2001, a new distribution centre was built in Skinnskatteberg, considerably improving distribution capabilities. In addition, a significant investment in production machinery was made in Skinnskatteberg, increasing the capacity in punching, nibbling and sheet metal forming. Through the acquisition of Danvent in Denmark, the product offering was broadened to include air handling units for large buildings. Systemair acquired 75 percent of the sales company UAB Alitas in Lithuania and established a wholly-owned sales company in Turkey.

2001/2002
Systemair acquired VEAB Heat Tech in Hässleholm, a leading producer of duct heaters and fan heaters, as well as the air handling unit producer Auranor Aggregater in Eidsvoll, Norway. Other acquisitions included an Austrian sales company and Phoenix Components in the UK, producing and selling air curtains under the Shearflow brand name. New sales companies were set up in Hong Kong, Hungary and Ireland.

2002/2003
Systemair acquired the sales company Meidijk Ventilatietechniek in the Netherlands. In Skinnskatteberg, Systemair acquired premises comprising approximately 26 000 m² on 75 acres of land. Systemair’s new development centre in Skinnskatteberg was opened. The centre has an AMCA accredited laboratory for measuring airflow, efficiency, electrical safety and acoustic values.

2003/2004
In 2004, the British company Fans & Spares was acquired. Fans & Spares is a distributor of fans and ventilation products with nine branches in the UK and over 50 years of experience in the industry. The German air curtain producer Gelu and the Swiss distributor Antlia were acquired. In Belgium, a sales company was started and in Norway, a new warehouse was built in Eidsvoll.

2004/2005
The company established new sales companies in South Africa, Romania and the Netherlands. Pyrox, with production facilities in Tysnäs in Norway, was sold. In the spring of 2005, Systemair established a production plant in Ukmergé in Lithuania that took over the production of residential heat recovery units from Systemair’s production unit in Norway.

2005/2006
In November 2005, the company Marvent in Slovenia, specialised in high temperature fans for smoke and heat ventilation, was acquired. In December, the sales company Multiventilacao in Portugal was aquired, specialised in marketing ventilation and cooling products. Systemair also started a sales office in the United Arab Emirates and Spain, in addition to opening a representation office in India. The President of Systemair, Mr. Gerald Engström, was named Entrepreneur of the Year in Sweden by Ernst & Young.

2006/2007
In August 2006, Systemair opened a representation office in China, this time in Beijing. In September, the Austrian sales company Altexa was acquired. During 2007 Systemair acquired the assets in Matthew & Yates in Great Britain, a leading manufacturer of axial fans and the Slovakian company Imos, a manufacturer of air terminal devices.

2007/2008
Systemair was awarded The Major Export Award. The Award was presented by His Majesty, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
Each year a Swedish company that in recent years has demonstrated great success in its export is awarded the Major Export Award by the Swedish Trade Council. Systemair was elected best export company in May 2007, as the Company’s export activities has demonstrated steady growth in several markets combined with good profitability.
The jury’s motivation:
“The management for Systemair has persistently and with own resources created an international group based on the entrepreneurial idea of the circular duct fan. With production and development in Skinnskatteberg as basis for operations Systemair has continuously created a group with production in seven countries and own sales companies and exports to a very large number of countries, all this in a highly competitive industry.”

In June 2007 Systemair acquired the assets of the Spanish company Koolclima with marketing and manufacturing of air handling units.

On October 12 2007 Systemair was listed on The OMX Nordic Exchange in Stoclholm, Midcap list.

In November we established a sales company in Australia, under the name Matthews&Yates and a software company in India, Systemair Software.
In February 2008 we acquired the Italian ventilation company Climaproduct.

2008/2009
In May we acquired Megcool Industries (products for tunnel and garage ventilation) 
in Malaysia.
In May we also acquired the assets in Emerson Ventilation Products (an American producer of fans and ventilation material) from the American company Emerson.
On 27 August Systemair had the first Annual General Meeting as a listed company.