TSI Celebrates 100 Years of Alnor Ventilation Test Instruments

TSI Incorporated is excited to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of one of its brands – Alnor®. Since the birth of the company in 1919, Alnor instruments have been trusted for a century.  

“TSI is honored to continue the high-quality offerings of one of the most recognized brands in HVAC instrumentation,” said Topher Nelson, Product Manager for HVAC Instrumentation at TSI. “For 100 years, the Alnor brand has represented the highest quality instrumentation with the best accuracy in the industry.”

It all started when Chicago native John A. Obermaier began his career by developing a variety of instruments and meter movements while employed at the Republic Flow Meters Company. In 1914, he formed his own service company, Illinois Testing Laboratories, Inc. Obermaier wanted to leave a successful organization behind for his sons, and in 1919, he decided to develop a tradename by merging his sons’ two names, Alfred and Norman. Alnor was born, and the tradename was registered as a trademark for products he would develop.

Obermaier’s sons eventually did take over the business after he passed away in 1958. By the mid- to late-1960s, the name Alnor Instrument Company gradually replaced Illinois Testing Laboratories, Inc.

One of Alnor’s most well-known products, the Balometer®, was developed in the mid-1980s. The Balometer is an instrument used in the HVAC industry to balance air handling systems. It is widely accepted as the standard of the industry, making Alnor the world leader in capture hood technology.

TSI acquired Alnor on May 1, 1995. Since the acquisition, TSI has released many new products in the Alnor brand. Top-selling products today include the Balometer® Capture Hood EBT731 and various micromanometers. 

Browse TSI’s Alnor product offerings and learn about a special promotion TSI is running in celebration of Alnor’s 100^th anniversary.