Himanshu Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Magneto Cleantech

The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the need to ensure that the air we breathe in our homes and in workplaces is germ-free. Magneto CleanTech is a startup dedicated to make not just clean air, but ‘healthy’ indoor air accessible to everyone. “Our air purification solution – Magneto Central Air Cleaner (MCAC) – not just absorbs all kinds of viruses and bacteria from the air, but also destroys them ensuring no further proliferation,” says Himanshu Agarwal, founder & CEO, in an interaction with Sudhir Chowdhary. Excerpts:

Tell us about the origin of the business.
We design, engineer and manufacture central air-purification and air sanitisatin solutions powered by advanced technologies that destroy nanoscopic microbes and pollutants, including PM 2.5, PM 1.0, bacteria, and even viruses from the indoor air. Magneto was initially established as an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and aircConditioning) brand in 1980. In the last few years, there has been a growing need for clean technology owing to the rise in air pollution levels and deteriorating air quality particularly in developing countries such as India. This pushed us to start Magneto CleanTech in 2017.

What is the technology Magneto CleanTech has developed?
Our flagship product is the Magneto Central Air Cleaner (MCAC)—it’s a high efficiency ISO-certified air purification solution that not just absorbs all kinds of viruses and bacteria from the air, but also destroys them ensuring no further proliferation. Our patented ‘Trap and Kill’ technology is our key strength and it follows a three-fold process. Magneto Central Air Cleaner works on a three-stage process. Unlike traditional air filtration, MCAC kills trapped microorganisms instead of letting them grow:

• Impingement: Particles up to 10 microns in size are trapped.
• Polarisation: All particulate matter and microorganisms, including viruses, when passed through this layer get charged and start getting coagulated.
• Agglomeration: All the charged particles are trapped. The viruses and bacteria are killed and only pure and sanitised air is delivered back.

For the current global crisis, Magneto has now launched the Magneto Central Air Cleaner system further enhanced with UVGI technology – to ensure complete air sanitisation within any kind and size of indoor space.

What is the significance of the solution in context of Covid-19?
There is increasing evidence that the Covid-19 virus can be airborne, particularly in indoor spaces with centralised air conditioning units. These air conditioners do not purify the air or eliminate any dust or other microbes. And, with many people breathing the same air, it offers a perfect space for the virus to exist and potentially infect them. This is where Magneto CleanTech comes into the picture. Our unique high filtration device infused with the ‘Trap and kill’ technology not only purifies the air from dust and other particulate matter but also eliminates viruses such as the coronavirus. The new enhanced version of Magneto Central Air Cleaner (MCAC) that is co-powered with UVGI can even further filter out and eradicate these microbes to make the air cleaner by blocking airborne pathogens during transmission, giving you a completely sanitised air cover.

Who is your target audience?
Any air-conditioned indoor space is a potential customer for Magneto CleanTech including homes, commercial spaces such as malls, movie theatres, residential complexes, hotels, hospitals, schools, restaurants, fitness centres, etc. We cater to residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. Magneto CleanTech’s products have been adopted by some of the largest brands in India such as Google, Apple, Uber, BMW, Airbus, Nokia, Jindal Group, Taj Hotels, Oberois, PGI Chandigarh Hospital, Godrej Properties, and DLF, to name a few.