MADISON, Wis. — Aprilaire accelerated expansion plans to serve the increased demand for healthy IAQ during the pandemic, essentially doubling its total number of employees to about 700 and adding two physical structures: a 110,000-square-foot distribution and shipping center and a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.

Both new facilities are located in Poynette, Wisconsin, a suburb just north of Aprilaire’s Madison headquarters. The increased number of employees are at both new Poynette facilities and in the Madison headquarters and represent all skill levels from entry to senior level engineers, product specialists, sales, and operations. Aprilaire plans to add another 100 positions before the end of 2021.

“Much of our growth started prior to 2020 but COVID-19 accelerated it,” said Dale Philippi, president and CEO of Research Products Corporation, Aprilaire’s parent company. “We have built an unparalleled reputation as the brand of choice among tens of thousands of professional contractors who know our singular focus on improving residential indoor air quality means we offer the most complete whole home air quality product portfolio available to homeowners to solve a host of IAQ problems and enhance health.”

“Our people first culture was the most difficult to maintain during the pandemic because of the obvious health and safety protocols we were following to keep the virus from spreading,” Philippi said. “However, we were deemed an essential business. We have always placed high priority on employee connection and communication, so we developed a system of weekly trainings, virtual ‘Good Neighbor’ events, thank you incentives, holiday bonuses, and quarterly updates. This purposeful outreach not only kept our employees safe, but healthy, engaged, and doing the IAQ work to which we are all committed.”

The new 110,000 square foot distribution and shipping center opened in January 2021 and is now open at 90% functionality as it comes online, and employees are added. Similarly, the 60,000 square foot manufacturing facility which was completed in May 2021 is close behind but still needs additional workers to staff the ongoing increased demand for Aprilaire products.

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