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RICO Elastomere Projecting GmbH
Made in Austria | Tooling, production of silicone and multi-material parts, large series
www.rico.at
SIMTEC Silicone Parts, LLC
Made in USA | Production of silicone and multi-material parts, clean room production, large series
www.simtec-silicone.com
Silcoplast AG
Made in Switzerland | Production of silicone and plastic parts, clean room production, small and large series
www.silcoplast.ch
HTR Rosenblattl GmbH
Made in Austria | Tool hardening, thermal treatment of stainless and tool steels, material analysis
www.htr-rosenblattl.at

air up® and RICO: Made in Europe – A Success Model for the Future

 

air up® has consciously chosen to return to "Made in Europe" – not only to ensure quality and sustainability but also to shorten supply chains. A major milestone was the opening of production facilities in the Netherlands for the scent pods, as well as in Austria and Germany for bottle manufacturing in 2022. This decision was part of a strategic direction to position the company more strongly as a European brand.

 

Redefining Supply Chains: How Local Production in the Heart of Europe Is Possible

In 2024, air up® took it a step further by establishing a partnership with RICO Elastomere Projecting, part of the internationally active Semperit Group, to develop the Click Bottle – the first bottle produced entirely "Made in Austria." The Click Bottle offers a leak-proof solution that fits perfectly into school bags and tote bags. What’s particularly remarkable: the entire production takes place within a radius of less than 100 km.

The silicone is produced by Wacker Silicones in Burghausen. At RICO, it is transformed into air up® products. Final assembly takes place just 20 km away at Greiner – also located in Upper Austria.

“Normally, the supply chain for products like ours spans thousands of kilometers. We're proud that our supply chain happens within less than 100 km – including the silicone raw material. In my opinion, that’s how it should be, even though such short supply chains are still unfortunately uncommon,” says Fabian Schlang, Co-Founder and Chief R&D Officer of air up®.

 

The Click Bottle is also a prime example of air up®'s innovative strength and close collaboration with partners. Since its market launch in August 2024 in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the product has been introduced in nine more European countries, with nearly half a million bottles sold.

 

Innovation Meets Efficiency – A Showcase of Product Development

Another example of air up®'s agility is the development of the “Straw” – a solution that enables Scentaste™ technology to work with almost any drinking bottle. From idea to market launch, it took just four months. While it usually takes more than a year to develop a product in this industry, air up® and RICO managed to realize production of the silicone attachment in a record-breaking nine weeks. This was made possible through close collaboration and rapid project development phases. The “Straw” was launched in Germany in September 2024 and is now available in 14 European markets.

“It was incredible how fast we were able to launch the product – and how it went viral on TikTok,” says Alex Jantschke, Lead Designer at air up®.

 

Through these partnerships and its innovative approach, air up® demonstrates that production in Europe is not only possible, but also the key to rapid product launches, high quality, and sustainability. Together, air up® and RICO are sending a strong signal for the future of “Made in Europe,” proving that short supply chains and fast innovation cycles can go hand in hand.

RICO - Made in Austria