For this TechRepublic cover story, Alison DeNisco Rayome provides an inside look at how Big Ass Fans leveraged a quality product, Internet of Things technology, strong branding, and a unique corporate culture to fill a worldwide need for cooler air.

This download provides the magazine version of the article as a free PDF for registered TechRepublic and ZDNet members. The online version of this story is available here.

From the story:

There’s no faster way to spoil the magic of a visit to a major theme park—you know the one—than waiting in a long, sweltering line to enter a ride. The park knows this, of course. But maintaining traditional fans that keep queuing customers cool was turning into a nightmare, leading effectively to a fan ban.

Before an international branch of this major theme park opened its gates in 2016, operators contacted a new source for help across the Pacific. It was not your typical Silicon Valley startup, but Big Ass Fans, a Lexington, KY-based provider of, well, insanely big fans. The company has leveraged top-notch R&D, Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and its cheeky branding to build and lead the market for quiet, energy-efficient industrial and residential fans.

Big Ass Fans worked with the park to develop fans that could quietly and cost-effectively cool customers down as they waited in lines for attractions. One ride was re-created in the company’s massive R&D facility to add in wind effects that enhance the experience.

Download the PDF to read the rest of the story.