Hand dryer extraordinaire, Excel Dryer, shares its approach to innovation and American manufacturing excellence 

Everybody’s experienced it: the never-ending cycle of drying your hands under the mercy of a mediocre hand dryer. With dripping hands, you’re then met with three options. You can either give up and grab a paper towel, dry your hands on your clothes, or continue to endure the long wait under the dryer, none of which are ideal. Thankfully, Denis Gagnon, President and CEO of Excel Dryer, pioneered a solution. 

Headquartered in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Excel Dryer is one of the world’s leading hand dryer manufacturers. Following a successful executive career in the manufacturing industry, Denis acquired Excel Dryer in 1997 with a vision to transform the way the world viewed hand dryers. Enter: the XLERATOR® – the first, high-speed, energy efficient hand dryer model. The patent was conceptualized in 2001, and since then, it has completely revolutionized the industry. To this day, the XLERATOR is the only hand dryer that’s Made in the USA certified and offers a sustainable, hygienic, low-cost solution to the world’s handwashing woes. The model reduces costs by a massive 95 percent in comparison to using traditional paper towels, provides up to a 94 percent reduction in carbon footprint versus paper towels, and dries hands in just eight-to-ten seconds. 

Today, the company continues to innovate, upholding its position as a proud, family-owned, American-made manufacturer. Manufacturing Today had the chance to sit with Denis who shares insights into the development of the XLERATOR dryer and what it takes to be a leading US manufacturer. Denis begins our conversation by detailing the research and development process behind the XLERATOR model. 

“People distinctly dislike using hand dryers because it takes too long to dry your hands, so we set out to create a better design. We wanted to make the product here in the US and had very specific criteria. As such, we brought in an outside engineering group called Invent Resources,” Denis explains. “The XLERATOR was born and made in America; all the engineering and R&D was done here in our factory, and subsequently, the product is a key part of our DNA. It took three years, but with a lot of prototyping and product testing, we created the XLERATOR hand dryer, which is now the best-selling hand dryer in the world.” 

R&D, however, is a continuous process at Excel Dryer. The company’s philosophy is centered around the Kaizen strategy and the idea of lean manufacturing. Kaizen – as defined by Vorne’s ‘Lean Production’ – typifies a culture of continuous improvement, bridging the gap between philosophy and action, and is one of the secrets behind Excel Dryer’s success strategy. In alignment with this ideology, the company is constantly investing in new technologies, processes and automation to further enhance its operational efficiency and working environment. 

“We have cells within the factory that operate on timed operations, so one person assembles a certain part then passes it onto the next person. These steps are precisely timed and very efficient,” Denis describes. “We’ve also introduced robotics, both in our assembly area and in our shipping processes, not to lay people off, but to do the jobs that are particularly difficult or monotonous, such as assembling certain components or stacking pallets, for example. 

“We also care greatly about our employees and continue to invest in our workplace. In recent years, we’ve added an R&D wing to the factory and have expanded the overall facility from 22,500 square feet to 50,000 square feet. We’ve also added a new cafeteria and more restroom capacity, especially for the women in the factory.” 

Looking to the years ahead, Excel Dryer has lots more exciting developments in store.

“The Covid hangover lasted longer than anybody expected, but I think it’s now finally behind us. In 2025, our sales revenue is up by ten percent,” Denis reveals. “The XLERATOR is 25 years old now, so we’re working on a newer model with additional features. There’s nothing wrong with the original XLERATOR – it’s the best-selling hand dryer in the world – but the newer XLERATOR has certain beneficial features in addition to those offered by the original product: all designed with the end user in mind. The project is very close to completion, and we look forward to talking about its features and benefits in the near future. 

“In five years’ time, we intend to add new products to our arsenal and focus a great deal of our attention on our international business. It’s a very uncertain time with the tariff discussions at the moment, so there may be some negative implications in terms of export, but over the next 12 months, we’re planning to grow the business significantly.” 

Following the success of the XLERATOR, it’s evident that Excel Dryer will continue its growth on the path of American manufacturing excellence. As the company continues to lead the way in the hand dryer revolution, Denis hones in on one of the most important qualities of the business: “We’re proud to boast an American-made product and to have efficiencies in place to remain cost effective, as well as enabling our employees do a great job. We’re not worried by the threat of tariffs; we’ve always manufactured here by choice and we’re proud to be made in the United States.” 

For a list of sources used in this article, please contact the editor. 

www.exceldryer.com