Big Blue & ActivePure Partnership

Big Blue & ActivePure

For over 23 years, Big Blue has provided hygienic hydration solutions to thousands of organisations (public, private, SME and corporates) from Bluff to Kaitaia. Customers include major hospitals, NZ Corrections and the NZ Defence Force. Hygiene has always been fundamental to Big Blue’s business. Around 2015, the directors noticed hygiene was becoming the major factor in decisions around water coolers and developed their own EnviroSafe process for servicing and sanitising their fleet of coolers. This led to a global search for the best available technology - culminating in an exclusive partnership with ActivePure Technologies.

ActivePure Technologies

ActivePure Technologies, LLC, is the global leader in active, continuous surface and air disinfection systems for health care and educational institutions, commercial and public facilities, and hospitality and residential applications. Since 1924, ActivePure Technologies includes the patented ActivePure Technology, a powerful surface and air purification technology with its origins in the NASA program. ActivePure has been honoured and recognised in the Space Foundation Hall of Fame for the impact it has had on humankind. ActivePure Technology has evolved to reduce exposure to airborne and surface diseases, including RNA and DNA viruses including the COVID-19 virus, bacteria and moulds by more than 99.9%.

ActivePure Technologies started in 1924, as Electrolux USA. In keeping with the companies focus on innovation and market leading technology the Smithsonian Institute recognised the Model 30 canister vacuum as one of the top 100 US products ever produced.

In the early 1990’s NASA-funded Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics (WCSAR) begins solving for problem of built-up ethylene gas around plants grown in the closed environment of spacecraft, which caused premature plant decay and spoilage. Photo Catalytic Oxidation (PCO) technology is discovered. PCO technology provided the ability to destroy Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as ethylene at significant rates without the need to introduce outdoor air into an environment. The VOC’s are converted to harmless carbon dioxide and water molecules. In 1995 the research culminated in the WCSAR team creating a device that was successfully flown and operated on Space Shuttle Columbia. The device underwent stringent testing to be approved for the Space Shuttle with the technology proving itself during the mission.

In 1998 Electrolux USA was purchased by a group led by Joe Urso. The company directive remained to focus on delivering worldclass technologies to create healthy living and working environments. In 2000 Electrolux USA was re-branded as Aerus, a healthy living company. Joe Urso saw a need for better air purification technology to be available to businesses and homes and directed Aerus to work towards developing technology that would lead the market. From 2001 Aerus began to market air purification products.

In 2009 Aerus invested in an early generation of ActivePure, a NASA Space Foundation Certified Space Technology and continued to develop the technology. By 2016 the efficacy of ActivePure had advanced to the point that ActivePure was awarded US and Global patent protections .

In 2017 Aerus' ActivePure Technology was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame, one of only 75 technologies to receive such an honour in 30 years, and the only air cleaning technology inducted.

IN 2020 the Aerus Medical Guardian with ActivePure Technology received Class II Medical Device U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance.

In recognition of the global demand for ActivePure Aerus was renamed ActivePure Technologies LLC.