Etablissement Hubert Dolbeau

Our Group

Established in February 2020, AIRVANCE Group was formed from the merger of two groups: FRANCE AIR GROUP and the HVAC (Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning) division of the SIG Group plc.

Our history

AIRVANCE Group was born in 2020 from the acquisition by FRANCE AIR Group, a family business founded in 1960 by the Dolbeau family, of the ventilation division of British company SIG Plc. Building on an entrepreneurial history that dates back to 1912 with the creation of “Établissements Hubert Dolbeau et Cie” in Morocco, AIRVANCE Group perpetuates its family values while pursuing its expansion strategy and establishing itself as a European leader firmly oriented towards innovation.

1912
“Établissements Hubert Dolbeau et Cie”, a company importing construction resources (materials, electricity and hydraulics), was founded.
1960
The Dolbeau family founded the Compagnie de l’Air Pulsé in Lyon, which later became FRANCE AIR. Its main line of business consists of air heater distribution.
1976
France Air created a subsidiary to export its products to the Maghreb, Africa and central Europe, which has now become France Air Export.
1988
International expansion with the establishment of France Air Portugal in Lisbon.
1989
The SNAC (Société Normande d’Air Contrôlé) factory in Carentan, Normandy was purchased.
1996
Three generations later, Olivier Dolbeau, the current CEO, took charge of an international Group with over 540 employees to date.
2000
France Air founded les Comptoirs de l’air® and reorganised its sales force in France. Meanwhile, creation of Ouest Ventil, the ventilation division of Ouest Isol, marking the beginning of British group SIG plc’s ventilation activities in France.
2006
SIG plc acquires Saftair Ventilation in France, strengthening its presence in the French market.
2008
SIG plc continues its expansion with the acquisition of Air Trade Centre.
2013
SIG plc acquires SK Sales in England, expanding its presence in the United Kingdom.
2014
Official creation of SIG Air Handling, a division of the British group, and acquisition of Inatherm company in the Netherlands.
2015
Simultaneous development of both groups: France Air creates F. Air Sistemas in Angola and acquires Multivac in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. SIG plc creates the commercial brand SIG Air Handling and acquires HC Groep company in the Netherlands.
2016
Continued growth of both entities: France Air creates F. Air HVAC in Switzerland and acquires Courtois (Savoie) and Airsun (Vaucluse). SIG plc acquires Interland Techniek company in the Netherlands and Profant Lufttechnik in Austria.
2017
A pivotal year for both groups: France Air creates France Air Romania in Bucharest and Laurent Dolbeau, eldest son of Olivier Dolbeau, takes over as CEO of the group, representing the fourth generation of the family at the helm of the company. SIG plc acquires BLH company in Germany.
2019
The British group SIG plc announces the sale of its SIG Air Handling division.
2020
Birth of the AIRVANCE Group, resulting from the merger of the France Air group and the HVAC division of SIG plc group. This strategic merger creates one of the 5 largest players in the European ventilation market for comfort and indoor air quality, while preserving the family values that have made France Air successful for over 60 years.

AIRVANCE Group

This merger of two remarkable entrepreneurial trajectories gave birth in February 2020 to a major player in air treatment and insulation in Europe, combining the agility and long-term vision of a family business with the international dimension of a group present in 15 countries.

Birth of a European leader...

Key figures

AIRVANCE Group continues its growth and establishes itself as one of the 5 largest European players in ventilation for comfort and indoor air quality.

583,4 M€ turnover

1 850 Employees

25 Subsidiaries

50 Countries covered

Governance

AIRVANCE Group has adopted a modern and balanced governance structure, combining the advantages of a family business with those of an international group.

An organization structured around three complementary bodies that ensure the group’s sustainability and the effective implementation of its strategy.

Our CSR programme

The implementation of our “Breathe Together” programme provides an opportunity to identify and promote best practice within each of the Group’s entities, as well as to roll them out across our entire workforce.

Breathe Together

Breathe Together

This is the name of the CSR programme launched by our Airvance Group in 2020, which aims to use strong values to unite all men and women who wish to share in them and be part of the company's success.

We see CSR as an opportunity to showcase the Group as an example to follow when it comes to internal practices, which is essential to ensure the success of our ecosystem. We have made CSR a driving force for cooperation and opening up the company to its many stakeholders.

The European Union is currently preparing reforms and standardisation of its CSR policy through the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), with significant involvement from our financial partners. Airvance Group will provide further information on these new standards in 2026 with the annual report for 2025. In the meantime, we are continuing to build our Breathe Together programme as part of our ongoing improvement.

Environment

Environment

Optimise the environmental impact of our products

  • Maintaining the high quality of your indoor spaces: Indoor Air Quality is the core business and the primary focus of Airvance Group.
  • Improving the energy efficiency of our buildings and products: We have embarked on a programme of energy audits and works to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings.
  • Reducing the environmental impact of our products and business activities: As a manufacturer, we have a moral obligation to reduce and recycle the waste generated at our sites
Societal

Societal

Investing in healthy, long-term relationships with our business ecosystem

  • Maintaining the high quality of our services and relationships: Establishing relationships based on trust and dialogue with our external stakeholders.
  • Fostering ethical, responsible discussion: Our Group’s information systems are a strategic asset that enable us to meet our customers’ expectations in an optimal way
  • Protecting Data: Defining and harmonising our dialogue with stakeholders has become essential in guaranteeing ethical practice
Social

Social

Make the Group a hub of professional opportunity for all

  • Combating discrimination: We work to combat all forms of discrimination so that each employee can properly perform their duties
  • Developing skills: People are the Airvance Group’s greatest asset. We strive to help them develop their careers, their commitment and their talent
  • Ensuring optimal working conditions: We aim to maintain a close management relationship with our employees and encourage meaningful dialogue between our subsidiaries.

Responsible Purchasing Policy

Airvance Group, a European leader in ventilation and air treatment, unveils its responsible purchasing policy. This document outlines the guidelines to foster balanced and mutually beneficial relationships with its suppliers. The aim is to align procurement practices with the Group’s values of operational excellence, competitiveness, ethics, and social and environmental responsibility. This policy is applicable to all employees involved in procurement processes and aims to select suppliers who share the same commitments to quality, safety, and sustainability.

pdf

Responsible Purchasing Policy

(PDF - 10.91 Mo)