NatéoSanté, designer and manufacturer of professional air purifiers, has been the French specialist in indoor air quality (IAQ) for over 12 years. Founded in 2009, the company is based in north-western France, in the Pays de Loire region, between Nantes and Pornic. Committed to eco-design and local manufacturing, NatéoSanté works in professional environments and meets the most demanding specifications: healthcare, local authorities, schools, tertiary sector, hospitality, catering, etc. A SME, NatéoSanté employs 18 people that all embrace the company’s values (human commitment, sustainable development, local production, transparency, etc.)
Interview with Anaïs Guyomarc’h, Director of Operations at NatéoSanté.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Anaïs Guyomarc’h: NatéoSanté designs and manufactures in France professional air purifiers, that are capable of eliminating all indoor air pollution sources. There are many groups of pollutants: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs, that is to say gases and vapors that contain carbons –chemicals, formaldehyde, benzene, glues and varnishes, etc.), fine particles, micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses including coronaviruses, mites), fumes, pollens, odors, etc.
The ranges of products are addressing all professional issues: regulatory (French schools, for instance, have to comply with some concentration levels of formaldehyde and benzene), preventive (all those professionals who are confronted to high pollution levels due to their activity: hairdressers, pedicurists, etc.), curative (in hospitals or clinics) or for comfort purposes (in the hospitality and catering sectors).
Our devices have been the subject of numerous tests carried out by French independent scientific laboratories. It is the results of these different studies that allow us to affirm, in a completely transparent way, that NatéoSanté air purifiers are truly effective against the different pollutants of the indoor air (99.6% efficacy against coronaviruses, among others).
We also carry out a systematic quality control on each device, to guarantee optimal operation and performance as soon as they are put into service in our clients’ premises.
E.E: What’s the news for 2021 about new products?
A.G: In 2021, we have mainly answered to health concerns with our eco-designed and smart EOLIS Air Manager product range. We have in particular developed IoT services with a multi-site monitoring system allowing professionals to visualize air quality data and maintenance status remotely. This is an indispensable feature to ensure a good air quality at all time across all their establishments.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
A.G: NatéoSanté offers two professional air purifier ranges designed to meet specific needs:
- EOLIS Air Manager, for health issues,
- Hygeolis, to remove odours, for comfort issues.
EOLIS Air Manager is the most comprehensive professional air purifier combining an exclusive filtration system to the latest technologies to offer an overall and deep treatment of all indoor air pollution sources. Its filter unit is composed of 4 filters (biocidal pre-filter, HEPA 13 filter, very high-density activated carbon filter and oxidation filter).
Some models also include a “Deep Clean” feature, that generates active oxygen for a deep treatment of the room. This powerful natural agent deals with the most stubborn odours embedded in textiles or carpets, mites, mould, fungi, etc.
EOLIS Air Manager is also equipped with precise sensors, allowing it to automatically adapt its operating speed to level of pollution of the room in which it is located, distinguishing between VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and fine particles (PM2.5).
Thanks to the intuitive screen, the user can follow in real time all of these data, as well as the real filter wear (an indicator informs about the saturation level of the filter unit) and all the settings.
Hygeolis is the compact professional air purifier which targets all odour issues in small spaces. Hygeolis is a real alternative to perfume diffusers, as it does not mask odours but destroys them by purifying the air, without any danger for the health or the environment. It is specifically adapted to small spaces such as sanitary facilities, changing rooms, camper-vans, mobile homes, etc. Hygeolis can be used wherever odours persist, and its unique filtration technology ensures that the air is clean and healthy every day.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
A.G: A few years back, indoor air quality was unfortunately not particularly mediatized and the market was to be created. Only some countries in Asia had a sensibility because of their exposition to a large atmospheric pollution. In Europe, our customers were professionals exposed to high concentration of specific pollutants in their work environment, such as podiatrists or hair dressers for example.
Since the 2020 pandemic, everyone has realized that invisible pollutants, viruses in that case, can be present in the air we breathe and harm our health and well-being. The market is emerging, a sudden awareness is developing.
This also explains the high interest of many other companies to rush into this market and launch their own air purifiers.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
A.G: In addition to protect the health of people who are sensitive to indoor air pollution (asthma, allergies, etc.) and the one of professionals most exposed to specific pollutants, some companies are also willing to protect their employees’ health so as for them to get back physically into the company’s premises in complete safety, reducing this way the fear employees may have of potentially bringing the virus into their homes, etc. Local authorities are also concerned, especially with schools were many students, as well as the teaching staff, cross paths all the time each day, exposing their health, especially when the mask has to be removed (during lunch break for instance).
Anaïs Guyomarc’h, Director of Operations at NatéoSanté
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
A.G: Our most innovative product is the EOLIS Air Manager professional air purifier. It is composed of many technologies:
- Integrated sensors that measure in real time the level of air pollution in the room, distinguishing between VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and PM2.5 fine particles, and an intuitive interface that allows the user to follow this data in complete transparency, while appreciating the performance of the device.
- Multi-site monitoring system to remotely manage a fleet of several devices
- On-board intelligence: the purifier automatically adapts its operating speed according to the level of air pollution detected
- Medical-grade filter unit composed of 4 filters for an overall efficiency against all air pollutants, whatever the professional environment
- Eco-design: EOLIS Air Manager respects the principles of sustainable development throughout its life cycle: non-emissive and recyclable materials, no additives, no paint, no glue, no programmed obsolescence, choice of durable and quality components, French manufacture less than 100km from NatéoSanté headquarters. Finally, we work with a waste treatment company for the recycling of used filters.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2021?
A.G: By 2030, the European market for air purifiers, which was worth between 500 million euros in 2020, should quadruple, while it will double worldwide, to 50 billion euros (source: FIMEA, the French Interprofessional Federation of the actors of the atmospheric environment).
In order to develop its activity and weigh on the world market, NatéoSanté has launched a project for the creation of a new production site.
The health context and scientific studies place air purification at the heart of the public authorities’ health strategy, of which the company NatéoSanté has been identified as a key player. Already committed to a responsible approach through its activity (air purification and health protection) and through its environmental and societal choices, NatéoSanté wants this new production site to be bioclimatic, just like its head office.
The company, with its internationally recognized expertise, hopes to perpetuate its position by strengthening its competitivity while maintaining its original industrial policy: French manufacturing, high-tech innovation and eco-design of its products (limited environmental impact throughout their life cycle).