In early April, Perma Pure and Maxtec — two established specialists in gas conditioning and oxygen analysis — were brought together under a new umbrella called Salaera.
The move consolidates what had been complementary operations within the Halma plc (OTCMKTS: HLMAF) (FRA: H11) group of companies into a single technology platform focused on the full pathway of breath and gas systems. Applications range from conditioning and sensing to delivery.
Halma is a British FTSE 100 Index (INDEX: UKX) company that owns nearly 50 autonomous businesses in safety, environmental monitoring and health technologies. It acquired Maxtec in 2020 and placed it under the management of its existing Perma Pure business (then known informally as the Perma Pure Group).
Prior to the rebrand, the two operated as related but distinct Halma entities with overlapping medical and industrial applications. Salaera now integrates their capabilities along with additional technologies.
The name Salaera, derived from Latin roots suggesting “health carried in the air,” signals a broader focus on turning raw gas streams into reliable data for clinical, laboratory and environmental use.
“Over the years, we’ve seen something interesting,” said Salaera Global Sales Director Jared Price. “Some customers knew Perma Pure well, but weren’t aware of Maxtec. Others knew Maxtec, but not Perma Pure. Even though we were solving complementary problems, those solutions didn’t always connect from the customer’s perspective.”
“Bringing everything together under one name helps fix that.”
Read more: Breath Diagnostics advances pre-op pneumonia screening with FDA breakthrough designation
Background of Perma Pure and Maxtec
Perma Pure was founded in 1972 by Jack Kertzman, who commercialized Nafion tubing — a selective polymer membrane first developed by DuPont de Nemours Inc (NYSE: DD). The technology removes water vapour from gas samples while preserving other compounds, addressing a common interference problem in emissions monitoring, lab analysis and medical breath sampling.
Over five decades, it became a recognized supplier of gas dryers and humidifiers for applications requiring precise moisture control.
Maxtec, based in Salt Lake City, developed a reputation over more than 25 years for oxygen sensors, analyzers and delivery devices used in neonatal intensive care, operating rooms and home ventilators. Halma’s 2020 acquisition of Maxtec was intended to strengthen Perma Pure’s position in medical moisture management by adding complementary oxygen-analysis expertise.
The current consolidation under Salaera builds on that earlier integration, creating a more unified portfolio that spans the entire gas pathway rather than isolated components.
Breath-based diagnostics and Salaera’s role
Breath analysis has gained attention as a non-invasive method for detecting biomarkers linked to lung cancer, metabolic disorders, infections and other conditions. Volatile organic compounds exhaled in breath offer a window into physiology without the need for blood draws or invasive procedures.
Salaera supplies upstream components such as Nafion-based dryers, oxygen sensors and conditioning hardware that help maintain breath sample integrity. Its ME Series breath sample tubing is one notable product it offers. While the company itself focuses on the supporting infrastructure rather than end-user diagnostic devices or algorithms, its offerings address recurring engineering challenges that affect the broader sector.
Several other companies are active in this area too. Vocxi Health, in collaboration with Forj Medical, has developed miniaturized sensors to read VOC patterns in breath quickly and efficiently. Additionally, OneBreath creator Breath Diagnostics has been advancing a platform to identify lung-cancer metabolites from a single breath sample.
Read more: Prestigious medtech intelligence firm recognizes Breath Diagnostics for innovation
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