Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) Austin Air Systems of Buffalo anticipates a relatively level playing field from a competitive standpoint with tariffs from the Trump administration, even as some tariffs remain uncertain.
In business for more than 30 years, Austin Air produces high quality medical grade air purifiers on Elk Street. Thousands of Buffalo commuters pass by their facility on the I-190 every day.
Austin Air purifiers are sold in more than 100 countries.
Marketing Director Stacy Malesiewski says it's the largest air cleaning manufacturing facility in the world, at 480 thousand square feet.
"Ninety percent of our competition is overseas, mostly in China," said Malewiewski. "It's giving companies, like ours, making high quality products, a fair shot."
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She said Austin Air purifiers are more expensive to make here due to higher material costs as well as labor and regulations. The payoff, she said, is in the quality of the product.
Company officials are anticipating a boost in business due to the tariff landscape.
With a staff of approximately 100 employees, everything at Austin Air is produced in house.
We asked about the labor force and whether it's easy to recruit manufacturing workers.
"I think people love working for a company like ours. It's a massive building
and it's quite impressive to see everything being manufactured on the floor.
It's not like a place where everything is automated. We have actual workers here putting together these units. If you talk to people, they'll tell you that it's a family atmosphere. They're making something that they know is going to
help people and change people's lives."