The company is a leader in fabric ducting and air distribution solutions that offers customised products for the textile industry
Prihoda is considered a global leader in the field of engineered fabric ducting and air distribution solutions for commercial and industrial HVAC applications. The Czech-based company, established in 1994, is still owned and managed by its founder Zdenek Prihoda. The company is headquartered in the small city of Hlinsko, located in the middle of Czech Republic. From there and its subsidiaries located in China and Mexico, the company supplies products to more than 70 countries globally. The company set up a dedicated office in India to be closer to the local market on May 24, 2018.
Prihoda India has been serving the needs of the market from Pune, Maharashtra. In an exclusive interview, Ulhas Keshavsingh Vatpal, Director, Prihoda India gave detailed insights into the areas of application of fabric ducts, products and solutions offered by the company, technology advantage, USPs and future plans of the company, among others. According to Vatpal, the typical areas of application of fabric ducts include food, engineering, automotive, chemical and textile industries, warehouses, schools, restaurants, temporary installations, freezing plants, sports facilities, swimming pools, cinemas, laboratories, greenhouses, chicken hatcheries, etc., to mention only some.
Products and Solutions
Going into details regarding the products and solutions offered by the company, Vatpal said, “We do not manufacture ducting by the metre but provide custom-made solutions. Our work is based on high technical quality and knowledge of airflow. Prihoda products usually act as supply air ducting (air transfer) as well as air distribution and diffusion into the occupied zone. We supply both types of systems: positive pressure distribution systems (supply air) and negative pressure (extract or return air) ducting for exhausting air from rooms. Prihoda also manufactures and delivers fabric diffusers for air distribution in the metro, train and tram wagons and ducting for air distribution in the driver cabins of public transportation vehicles.”
“We also provide diffusers for air dispersion in military vehicles,” he adds. Highlighting the importance of the textile industry for the company and the specific solutions offered by Prihoda for the vertical, Vatpal stated: “The textile industry requires specific airflow as per various applications on floor. Here we play a very important role by designing tailor-made air distribution systems with respective to client requirements. Our fabric can be anti-static, anti-bacterial, fire-resistant and washable, adhering to textile industry norms and regulations. We can design both uniform distributions as well as spot cooling from longer distances like up to 30 metres.”
Technology Lead
Speaking about the technology advantage offered by the company, Vatpal explains, “Using our own air tailor design software, we can, fast and exactly, design even the most comprehensive textile systems, including all details that are necessary for given offers and production. Our programmers are continuously working on its improvements. It includes calculations of pressure losses and airflow speed, specifications of all distribution elements and calculations of their noise levels. The results are provided graphically as a spatial projection.”
New Manufacturing Facility
Elaborating on the company’s entry into the Indian market, Vatpal informs, “Prihoda has invested quality time since 2015 in the Indian market to understand the market needs, applications and operational challenges, etc. After a clear understanding they decided to have a dedicated office in India to serve the local market in a better way and established Prihoda India in May 2018 with its head office at Shivaji Nagar in Pune. We have delivered and executed over 180 projects in India itself in such a short span of time. And in August 2022, Prihoda India has become the first MNC in the textile ducting segment to set up a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of the industrial belt of Chakan in Pune.”
This is a fully equipped facility with start-to-end solutions of air ducting and distribution solutions. “With this facility we will be able to serve the local Indian market in a speedier way,” he adds. Listing down the reasons why a company should consider Prihoda given that there are other similar solutions available, Vatpal observes: “Yes, there are many companies selling textile ducting across India and abroad. But Prihoda offers complete solutions for air distribution with the following advantages – complete duct design and layout as per system, best quality fabrics as per applications, CFD report to ensure air flow, dedicated office here in India with more than 12+ engineers, dedicated installation team, washing centre for maintenance and easy availability of all spares in India.”
Road Ahead
Finally, highlighting Prihoda’s future plans for India, Vatpal says, “Our plans include creating more awareness about textile ducting and its wide reach for various applications in the field of air distribution and reaching out to customers across India and sharing our value-addition and solutions tailor-made to their needs.”
The textile industry requires specific airflow as per various applications on floor. Here we play a very important role by designing tailor-made air distribution systems with respective to client requirements. Our fabric can be anti-static, anti-bacterial, fire-resistant and washable, adhering to textile industry norms and regulations. We can design both uniform distributions as well as spot cooling from longer distances like up to 30 metres.
– Ulhas Keshavsingh Vatpal
