INDOOR AIR QUALITY COMPANY MAKING ITS MARK IN CHARLOTTE

The Queen City is known for many things including its leading — and growing — presence in health care, motorsports, energy, technology, manufacturing, higher education and, of course, financial services. Meanwhile, Global Plasma Solutions® (GPS®) is making its mark nationally as a recognized leader in indoor air quality.

 A Charlotte-based technology company, GPS was founded by a forward-thinking engineer named Charles Waddell, who believed there was a better way to help safely clean indoor air through ionization. The technology he invented uses lower-energy applications to achieve the benefits of ionization without producing ozone (in compliance with UL 2998 zero ozone certification). As the world continues to grapple with the effects of the pandemic, GPS continues its commitment to innovation as it drives progress in indoor air quality. 

 Known as Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI™), GPS technology works in conjunction with HVAC systems to help reduce airborne particles including certain viruses and bacteria. The company’s products help improve indoor air quality and can play an important role in making comprehensive air ventilation and filtration systems more effective.

 Since its founding in 2008, GPS technology has been installed in more than 250,000 high-traffic locations worldwide — including throughout Charlotte. These buildings such as health care facilities, research labs, schools, universities and airports regularly and independently monitor their indoor air quality.

 WORLD-CLASS TESTING AND R&D CAPABILITIES

 Long known as a banking center, Charlotte is also quickly becoming a “tech town” and a destination for tech talent of all types. In fact, a 2020 Tech Towns list compiled by CompTIA ranked the city fifth in the United States for technology based on the cost of living, number of job openings and projected job growth.

 GPS is part of that meteoric rise. Recently, the company unveiled its state-of-the-art Innovation Center adjacent to its headquarters. The 8,000-square-foot Innovation Center is the culmination of months of building out what is now a world-class center for advancing the science of indoor air quality.

Adding to the already extensive research contracted to third-party laboratories, the GPS Innovation Center features 11 different, specially designed testing chambers outfitted with robotics, sensors and advanced software that take thousands of precise, real-time measurements of air quality and indoor air dynamics. These in-house chambers provide advanced testing capabilities to optimize product development and innovation.

“Our expanded Innovation Center here in Charlotte allows us to make further advances in helping improve indoor air quality and with safety as a top priority while also adding highly technical jobs to the Charlotte economy,” said Glenn Brinckman, chief executive officer. “Few, if any, indoor air quality companies do more indoor air quality testing than GPS.”

Brinckman noted that GPS has spent millions of dollars this year alone on testing, research and development, working collaboratively with some of the country’s best third-party research laboratories to review, refine and confirm the safety and effectiveness of its technology. GPS products are designed to work with air handling systems to deliver the clean indoor air benefits of NPBI. Tests conducted by third-party labs measure the reduction of certain viruses and bacteria in the air and on surfaces.

“Indoor air is very dynamic, influenced by a multitude of factors that must be taken into account,” said Ed Sobek, Ph.D., the company’s chief science officer. Dr. Sobek leads GPS’ multidisciplinary Scientific Advisory Board, which helps inform the company’s testing program. Advisors bring a range of expertise to the conversation about indoor air quality, from microbiology and environmental chemistry to physics and data science.

“Science plays a critical role in understanding and unlocking the complexities of indoor air quality, and requires a collaborative approach from numerous disciplines,” said Dr. Sobek. “GPS’ Innovation Center is a powerful home for scientific research.”

DELIVERING RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION

The Innovation Center is also home to the company’s expanding engineering/technical team. These GPS experts work relentlessly to develop new products that meet the many challenges associated with indoor air quality. In addition to new labs for continuous testing, the team also has access to the Center’s five cutting-edge 3D printing machines, which enable rapid prototyping and fast, seamless development of products.

 GROWING ALONGSIDE THE CHARLOTTE REGION

GPS, which moved its headquarters to Charlotte in October 2019, has experienced rapid growth in the last two years, doubling its number of employees.

“Growing interest in the IAQ industry over the last two years has helped GPS attract some outstanding engineering and technical talent from multiple disciplines, accelerating not only our product development strategy but also our job growth and economic impact in the greater Charlotte area,” added Brinckman. “We look forward to being a part of this dynamic community and growing alongside it for years to come.”

To learn more about Charlotte-based Global Plasma Solutions, visit www.globalplasmasolutions.com.