AlphaTherm got its start as a winter product, a logical niche for a heated windshield wiper fluid technology. However, the Farmington Hills-based company soon realized its product had broader applications.
AlphaTherm makes electrical heating, cooling, and heat exchange devices. Its patented Heated Wash windshield washer fluid heating system using a minimal amount of energy produced by the vehicle’s electrical system to produce a warm washer fluid.
The product was originally developed to remove frost, ice, and snow during inclement weather. Truck drivers who began trips in Canada and finished them in Florida learned it was also useful to remove bugs, road grime, and other debris.
"They said the warm fluid cut through it without a problem," says Joe Trubak, general manager of
AlphaTherm.
The Heated Wash system has been applied to more than 1.5 million vehicles through OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). AlphaTherm and its core team of five people are now targeting the heavy truck and after-market industries.
AlphaTherm recently joined
Automation Alley's 7Cs program to help grow its market reach. The 7Cs program provides assistance and guidance in advanced manufacturing to small firms with the ability to scale their production with the idea of accelerating their growth. Automation Alley's entrepreneurship team also helps its clients make connections with other potential partners.
"They have a number of companies that we can network with," Trubak says. "A number of those companies have a fleet of vehicles or know other companies that do."
Source: Joe Trubak, general manager of AlphaTherm
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.