Air-Tite Joins the Rarefied Ranks of Companies That Reach 100 Years in Business

March 31 Marks Air-Tite Day, A Centennial Celebration

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Air-Tite Products Co., Inc., a company of syringe and needle specialists and leading product supplier in North America, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with Air-Tite Day on March 31 at its Virginia Beach-based headquarters.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only half of one percent of businesses survive to celebrate a centennial. “Nearly 65% of businesses fail in the first ten years. To sustain and succeed 10 times that long is a profound achievement,” said William Westendorf, CEO of Air-Tite Products. “It’s a testament to our culture of continuous innovation and commitment to hands-on customer service.”

The company was started in 1926 in Vineland, New Jersey, by Michal Lipman, Sr. after a trip to Philadelphia for the Sesquicentennial International Exposition, in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. There he saw a pump apparatus with a fitted gasket to prevent leaks. He adapted it to deliver consistent drinking water to poultry houses.

Lipman and his son spent the next sixty years expanding their range of veterinary products, including animal husbandry and vaccination supplies. In 1977, they established distribution deals with German-based Henke-Sass, Wolf GmbH and Japan’s Misawa Medical. Eight years later, they engaged family friend Paul Oberdorfer to develop the human health market and establish Air-Tite of Virginia.

That endeavor proved highly successful by maintaining a focus on customer needs, often with niche products overlooked by large corporations. The business was purchased by the current ownership team and relocated to Virginia Beach in 1997. Over time, Air-Tite developed distribution partnerships with top suppliers from around the world, including TSK Laboratory, Exel International, JPB and BBraun. Today, Air-Tite represents over 16 global partners. 

The original entrepreneurial spirit remained a core tenant. From developing proprietary products like the MinimLL small dose syringe to launching subsidiary brands like Air-Tite Aesthetics to serve new markets, Air-Tite has a history of evolving the meet the industry’s needs.

“We listen when customers tell us what they need,” said Oberdorfer. “We either locate it in our broad distribution network, or, when it doesn’t exist, we create it ourselves. It’s customer-inspired innovation.” 

Today, Air-Tite serves diverse industries, including human healthcare, pharmaceuticals, animal health and laboratory research, while Air-Tite Aesthetics focuses on high-end specialty goods for discerning aesthetics practitioners. 

Though Air-Tite Day kicks off the centennial, Air-Tite plans to recognize the milestone anniversary throughout the year with an updated brand launch and additional celebrations later in the year.

“Some new things are ahead for Air-Tite,” said Westendorf. “But our focus on customers, innovation and quality will remain, hopefully for the next 100 years.”

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Founded in 1926 by agricultural entrepreneur Michael Lipman, Sr., Air-Tite Products Co.is now one of North America’s leading distributors of needle and syringe products. Serving human healthcare, pharmaceuticals, animal health, laboratory research and aesthetic practitioners, Air-Tite connects customers to mission-critical products. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Air-Tite prides itself on a consultative approach to helping customers find the right product from our portfolio of 16 manufacturing partners or our proprietary product line. 

AIR-TITE's Key Milestones

1926: Michael Lipman, Sr. attends the Sesquicentennial International Exposition in Philadelphia where he gets the inspiration for an efficient pump for his poultry houses.

The name Air-Tite steam from the seal that kept the water pure. The misspelling of “Tite” was in line with marketing trends of the Art Deco era.

1947: After two decades of expanding the poultry line, Lipman and his son, Michael Lipman, Jr., add avian vaccinators to the product line.

1953: Affiliated company Eastern Labs opens in the Air-Tite building behind the family’s house on Washington Avenue in Vineland, New Jersey.

1977: While travelling abroad, the Lipmans secure contracts for disposable veterinary syringes from German-based HSW and Japan’s Misawa medical

1980: Michael Lipman, Jr. becomes President of Air-Tite Products. Eastern Labs closes and products are assumed by Air-Tite.

1985: Paul Oberdorfer, a Lipman family friend, starts Air-Tite of Virginia in Virginia Beach to service the human syringe and needle market using the same suppliers as Air-Tite Products.

1988:  Air-Tite of Virginia commissions a study by the Jones Institute, a human fertility center, that indicates Norm-Ject® syringes are superior to conventional syringes for AI and embryo transfer.

1990: Air-Tite of Virginia introduces its 30G needle for sclerotherapy, treating spider and varicose veins.

1997: Air-Tite Products Co. and Air-Tite of Virginia consolidate in a purchase by William Westendorf and relocates headquarters to Virginia Beach.

2004: TSK and Air-Tite introduce the 32G needle popular for Botulinum Toxin injections in aesthetic medicine along with the low dead space 1ml syringe from HSW.

2017: Air-Tite receives the VWR “Supplier of the Year” for excellence in operations, sales support and customer service

2020: Air-Tite continues business through the COVID-19 pandemic, working to deliver mission-critical supplies to medical professionals.         

2022:  Pink Products campaign launches. Now the Pink Ribbon Collection, a percentage of quarterly sales is donated to Breast Cancer Research

2023 : Launch of the MinimLL® Syringe - the first 0.5mL low dead space luer lock syringe, first of its kind globally.

2024: A trademark for the MinimLL® syringe marks the company’s first registered trademark.