Tokyo, Japan - Total sales of products from Sharp Corporation and from companies in other industries equipped with Plasmacluster Ion(R) technology, Sharp's proprietary air purification technology, reached 10 million units*1 worldwide on November 21, 2005. Sharp first embedded this technology in air purifiers in September 2000, as a revolutionary cleaning system that deactivates harmful substances in the air. Since then, Sharp has equipped products such as air conditioners and refrigerators with Plasmacluster Ion generators, and now, use of this technology has expanded to products in other industries as well, including toilets with bidet seats and in-vehicle air purifiers. The ratio of sales in Japan versus internationally is 9:1, and in Japan*2, one in five households have at least one Plasmacluster Ion product.

Carrier Corporation, the world's No. 1 air conditioner supplier, on Friday pledged long-term investments in China's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry, 20 years after its entry into the Chinese market.

China has witnessed rapid growth in its HVAC industry over the past decade, arresting the attention of the world's leading provider of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration solutions.

"China is definitely one of the biggest markets on the planet with great development potential," said Philippe Delpech, CEO of Carrier China, at a ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the company's operation in China.

Donaldson Membranes' drive to provide first-class products to the industrial filtration industry has been fuelled by some 'quality' work at the company's manufacturing plant in Hull.

In line with its policy of delivering quality products through continuous improvement, its Hull manufacturing plant has been awarded quality standard ISO/TS16949:2002.

Donaldson, a leading worldwide provider of filtration systems and replacement parts, is a technology-driven company committed to satisfying customer needs for solutions through innovative research and development. Donaldson serves customers in the diesel, engine and industrial markets, including in-plant air cleaning, compressed air and gas purification, power generation, disk drive filtration, off-road equipment and trucks.

Thane International Inc., of La Quinta, Calif., is voluntarilly recalling about 35,00 of its Perfect Air Ultra Air Purifiers.

Made by China`s Well Brain International Ltd., an overheating capacitor in these air purifiers can cause arcing in a connecting wire which poses the risk of fire.

Thane has received six reports of incidents involving these air purifiers catching on fire or melting. Thane has also received six units which were returned by customers and show some evidence of melting or charring. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should call Thane toll-free at (800) 895-0986 to get a credit for other Thane products of comparable value.

The use of Sanuvox Ultraviolet Air Purification Systems can be used as a preventative tool to limit the spread of Influenza in residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Sanuvox Technologies Inc. has been receiving many inquiries regarding the use of Sanuvox Ultraviolet Air Purification Systems on the Avian Flu. Sanuvox UV systems can be used as a prevention tool to limit the spread of Influenza in working and public environments.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) there are many different subtypes of type A influenza viruses. When we talk about “bird flu” viruses, we are referring to influenza A subtypes chiefly found in birds. They do not usually infect humans, even though we know they can. When we talk about “human flu viruses” we are referring to those subtypes that occur widely in humans. It is likely that some genetic parts of current human influenza A viruses came from birds originally. Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, and they might adapt over time to infect and spread among humans. For more information on Avian Influenza please visit the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm

Growing concerns about bird flu and overall health awareness are proving a windfall for existing air-purifier makers that aim to double their sales while new players are entering the market. Toshiba (Thailand) Co, recently took back its air-purifier distribution from Carrier (Thailand) Co. Sangchai Air Quality Co is widening its distribution of Honeywell products to the provinces while York Airconditioning and Refrigerating (Thailand) Co is introducing purifiers locally for the first time.

All of them are challenging the direct-sales company Amway, which leads the air-purifier market.

Nattaphong Areekul, vice-president of Toshiba Thailand, said the company had planned various marketing activities to build brand awareness of its air-purifiers, with a budget of 50 million baht.

Source: Research and Markets

Research and Markets has announced the addition of Household Appliances in the United States Volume 4: Air Treatment to their offering.

The $1.4 billion air treatment appliance market includes room air conditioners, portable heaters, air cleaners, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers. This report covers the period from 1999 through February 2005. While the market fluctuates significantly due to weather conditions, overall sales have been decreasing since 1999, due in large part to the increased penetration of central air conditioning units, as room air conditioners account for 67% of the air treatment appliance market.

Source: BUSINESS WIRE

The new Consumer Reports press release (dated Sept. 6, 2005) being distributed to journalists acknowledges that the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze tested by Consumer Reports is not the current model sold in our catalog, web site or retail stores. As of July 7, 2005, Sharper Image introduced an upgraded and improved model, a practice consistent with previous improvements.(1)

As Consumer Reports acknowledges in both its press release and in its October 2005 magazine story on air cleaners, the new Ionic Breeze air purifier is now equipped with OzoneGuard, which converts ozone by-product and ozone in ambient air into pure oxygen on contact. No other indoor air purifier offers technology which can reduce ozone in ambient air by converting it into pure oxygen. With OzoneGuard, the Ionic Breeze air purifier is comparable to those listed among Consumer Reports' "fine performers, with negligible ozone." Even without OzoneGuard, the Ionic Breeze carries both the UL and ETL seals of performance for safe ozone emission levels.

Source Fashion Monitor Toronto

If you are looking to buy a new home air purifier, check our tips for help in making your decision.

Air purifiers become an essential component in many households today. Home air purifiers filter out allergy-provoking substances, including dust, odors and pollen. Home air purifiers are especially good when a person has a suppressed the human immune system, making the body more susceptible to infection.

"Understanding the bacterial environment is important for health," said Fox, professor of biology and biochemistry at University of Houston. "People often spend months in conditions that create a bacterial breeding ground."

Source: MARKET WIRE

ROCKVILLE, MD -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/24/2005 -- While statistics suggest a growing number of consumers believe air cleaners improve the indoor air quality in their homes, some researchers have noted wide variations in the performance of air cleaners.

One of the leading international experts on indoor air quality will explain what makes an air cleaner effective in a presentation to be given Oct. 8 at the joint conference of the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), the American Indoor Air Quality Council and the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization.