By EDWARD WONG
A sales manager for Blueair, a Swedish maker of air purifiers, said the United States Embassy had ordered more than a couple thousand but less than 5,000 units.
Companies and institutions employing foreigners in China are starting to realize that to keep workers in the cities, they need to make changes to the way they operate.
Companies and institutions employing foreigners in China are starting to realize that to keep workers in the cities, they need to make changes to the way they operate.
Based on anecdotal evidence, air pollution, more than anything else, is driving expatriate workers away from China, or dissuading those outside China from taking postings here.
News reports of various rounds of “airpocalypse” descending on Chinese cities have not helped.
In response, some employers are handing out hardship bonuses.
Others are allowing employees more vacation or work time outside the country.
In recent months, the United States Embassy in Beijing has come up with its own strategy to blunt the hazards and the fears that come with Chinese smog: It has ordered thousands of air purifiers for the homes of employees from the United States.
Blueair, the Swedish company that is filling the embassy order, said the purchase was among the largest from China.
Blueair, the Swedish company that is filling the embassy order, said the purchase was among the largest from China.
“This is an important order,” said Jonas Holst, international sales manager for Blueair.
“It’s absolutely in the top end.”
Anxieties over air quality surged in January, when levels of fine particulate matter during a particularly smoggy spell in northern China reached, in some areas of Beijing, 40 times the recommended exposure limit set by the World Health Organization.
Anxieties over air quality surged in January, when levels of fine particulate matter during a particularly smoggy spell in northern China reached, in some areas of Beijing, 40 times the recommended exposure limit set by the World Health Organization.
The United States State Department sent a team of experts to China to evaluate employees’ homes and make recommendations on how to ensure relatively clean air quality indoors.
American officials concluded they needed to place more air purifiers in frequently used residential spaces, such as bedrooms and living areas, even though new employees already get some units when they first arrive. (The embassy itself has a centralized air filtration system.)
After the team left, the United States government put out a call for proposals, and in the end it decided to go with an American supplier of Blueair products.
Some of the Blueair machines have begun arriving in Beijing.
After the team left, the United States government put out a call for proposals, and in the end it decided to go with an American supplier of Blueair products.
Some of the Blueair machines have begun arriving in Beijing.
The United States Embassy declined to provide official comment on the purchase and did not specify the number of units bought.
Mr. Holst also declined to give numbers, but he said the total was somewhere under 5,000 and more than a couple thousand.
He also declined to give details on the purchase price.
He also declined to give details on the purchase price.
It is safe to assume the price per unit for the embassy order is much less than the retail price in Beijing. Torana Clean Air, an official Blueair seller in the Chinese capital, said its least expensive unit, the 203 model, cost 3,231 renminbi, or about $530.
That model is mainly used for bedrooms and offices up to 20 square meters, or 215 square feet.
The best-selling larger model, the 503, costs 6,174 renminbi.
There is a top-of-the-line model imported from Sweden that goes for 11,980 renminbi, but sales of that are rare.
Most Blueair units are made for export in Shenzhen, in southern China.
Prices of Blueairs vary around the world because of taxation, import duties and transport costs, said Chris Buckley, the head of Torana Clean Air (who is not related to the Chris Buckley who reports on China for The New York Times).
Prices of Blueairs vary around the world because of taxation, import duties and transport costs, said Chris Buckley, the head of Torana Clean Air (who is not related to the Chris Buckley who reports on China for The New York Times).
Mr. Buckley said he had supplied schools and embassies in Beijing, including those of France, Finland and the Netherlands.
Among foreigners, a popular — and pricier — alternative to Blueair purifiers are those from IQAir, a Swiss company.
Among foreigners, a popular — and pricier — alternative to Blueair purifiers are those from IQAir, a Swiss company.
Other brands are edging into the market, given the growth prospects in China.
Some medical experts have tried to give their assessments of the models.
Among them is Dr. Richard St. Cyr, a doctor at Beijing United Family Hospital who writes a health blog and a column for the Chinese site of The Times.
In his estimate, Blueair performs well in tests against other brands.
Mr. Holst said Blueair had had a “significant” increase in revenue from China sales in the last 12 to 15 months, though he declined to give numbers.
Mr. Holst said Blueair had had a “significant” increase in revenue from China sales in the last 12 to 15 months, though he declined to give numbers.
The biggest revenues are from Beijing and Shanghai, he said, though Blueair has a sales presence in 50 Chinese cities.
Last week, Gary F. Locke, the American ambassador, announced he would leave his post early next year and return to Seattle.
Last week, Gary F. Locke, the American ambassador, announced he would leave his post early next year and return to Seattle.
He has been in Beijing a little more than two years, a relatively short period for the job.
His announcement prompted widespread speculation that he was fleeing the city’s notorious air. (After all, some Chinese are decamping to rural areas to lead greener lives.)
But Mr. Locke told The Los Angeles Times that he was leaving because he and his wife had agreed their children should spend their junior and senior years of high school in the United States.
But Mr. Locke told The Los Angeles Times that he was leaving because he and his wife had agreed their children should spend their junior and senior years of high school in the United States.
“We are concerned about it,” he said of the air quality, “but that’s not what motivated us to go back.”
On Friday and Saturday, the air quality index in the capital, as measured by a device on the rooftop of the United States Embassy, reached the “hazardous” level.
On Friday and Saturday, the air quality index in the capital, as measured by a device on the rooftop of the United States Embassy, reached the “hazardous” level.
That is when American officials recommend staying indoors, preferably with purifiers on.
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