History of Des Champs Technologies
Des Champs Laboratories was founded in East Hanover, New Jersey in 1973 by Nicholas H. Des Champs, Ph.D. for the purpose of developing a patented, vacuum brazed aluminum heat exchanger that could be easily formed into any shape. To generate income, several contract jobs, unrelated to the original patent, were undertaken. One of these contracts dealt with designing and building a prototype heat exchanger that would be used to cool the cockpit of an F-15 fighter aircraft while the plane was operating prior to takeoff and after landing. It was during this contract that the
Z-DUCT® air-to-air heat exchanger was conceived.
The simple, formed and folded, continuous sheet of metal that was the heart of the Z-DUCT heat exchanger drastically reduced the labor involved in manufacturing air-to-air heat exchangers. The Z-DUCT was not suited for the military application but it proved to be a very desirable and competitive product in the emergent energy recovery field, especially for the HVAC comfort market. Within six (6) years of introducing Z-DUCT to the HVAC bid and spec market, the product was ranked Number 1 from among 24 other manufacturers by a survey published by “Specifying Engineer” magazine.
By 1983, the company was the leading manufacturer of energy recovery packaged units. The following year the bottom fell out of the energy recovery market as a result of plummeting fuel prices. During the next several years, the company maintained its lead position even though sales stagnated.
In 1989 a decision was made by the company to move its operations to Natural Bridge Station, Virginia and to refocus its sales and marketing efforts on a niche area that was quickly developing for improving indoor air quality in occupied buildings. The first product introduced was the WRINGER®, an air-conditioner specifically designed to condition outdoor air being delivered to a building. The term “WRINGER” has become synonymous with conditioning outdoor air to control humidity in buildings. Combining the WRINGER dehumidifier with an energy recovery heat exchanger resulted in the patented “WRINGER Plus®”. With the success of these and other energy saving indoor air quality products, sales increased five-fold between 1992 and 2000.
The Present and Future for Des Champs Technologies
The company now produces products for the Commercial, Institutional, Industrial, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) markets. Its products are marketed under trade names such as: WRINGER®, MOACS®, CompleVent®, E-Z-Aire®, ThermoZ®, VariMax®, and Z-DUCT®.
Leadership
Des Champs Technologies is guided by a Board of Directors with a proven track record of leadership, vision, and innovation within the HVAC industry. The Board's goal is to position Des Champs Technologies as the industry leader in providing energy recovery and indoor air quality solutions through the design and manufacture of innovative, quality equipment that generates the greatest long-term value for our customers.
Des Champs Technologies is a "C" Corporation.
Board of Directors:
- Richard Snyder - Retired, Principal owner and CEO of Snyder General (McQuay and American Air Filter)
- Richard Rademaker - Retired, owner of Heat Transfer Specialties (HTS), a custom air handler company
- Patrick Noonan - Investment Banker; past treasurer of Snyder General
- Dick Driggs - Retired, Chief of Operations for Snyder General and later President of Addison
- Don Driscoll - VP of Operations and CFO
- Nick Des Champs - President and CEO