— Interview with Natalie Clarke —
R&R: Where are you based and how long has the company been in business?
Natalie Clarke: Headquarters is located in New Castle, Pennsylvania. We have been in business since 1956.
R&R: What is your name and title, and how long have you been with the company?
Clarke: Natalie Clarke, marketing manager, 1 year.
R&R: What trades/services do you offer retailers and restaurants?
Clarke: Berner manufactures high-performance air curtains for both front- and back-of-house applications. Our solutions support code compliance and cleanliness at service doors and refrigerated openings, while offering premium aesthetics and enhanced comfort at customer-facing entrances. Across all locations, Berner air curtains are engineered to save energy and help create healthy, comfortable environments.
R&R: In what regions of the country do you conduct most of your business, or are you nationwide?
Clarke: Nationwide and global.
R&R: What makes your company’s “signature service” stand out in the industry?
Clarke: It’s the combination of modern design, advanced technology and independently certified performance. Together, these elements create air curtains that deliver measurable improvements in building efficiency, occupant comfort and overall entrance experience.
R&R: What kind of feedback do you receive from clients?
Clarke: Clients consistently tell us that Berner delivers the highest-quality air curtains on the market, backed by responsive, knowledgeable support before, during and after the sale.
R&R: Why should owner/operators choose Berner to be their next vendor partner?
Clarke: Owner / operators choose Berner because our air curtains simply make their buildings work better. They’re reliable, look great and blend into both front- and back-of-house spaces without disruption. With certified performance and easy installation and upkeep, Berner helps reduce energy costs, improve comfort and keep doors clean, compliant and running smoothly.
R&R: How many retail/restaurant clients do you have, and is that sector growing for you?
Clarke: The sector is growing for us.
R&R: Tell me about 2-3 recent projects you are most proud of.
Clarke: We officially announced our plans for adding 55,000 square feet of new production space and 70 new jobs. This is a major expansion of our Penn-sylvania manufacturing footprint designed to help us meet the growing global demand. The expanded plant increases our production capacity, im-proves workflow efficiency, and strengthens our commitment to U.S.-made quality and faster lead times. Operations will commence as early as second quarter 2026.
We launched our newly redesigned Intelliswitch™ digital controls across the entire Architectural Series, replacing traditional push buttons with a sleek touchscreen and smarter operation. The new controls were designed and built by our in-house IoT (internet of things) experts to help simplify installation and setup, offer energy-saving features, and elevate day-to-day usability.
R&R: What are some of the latest trends you see in the FM industry now?
Clarke: We’re seeing a strong push toward sustainability, energy savings and smarter building systems. Facility managers are increasingly focused on so-lutions that improve efficiency, enhance comfort and provide real-time performance data at high-traffic doorways.
R&R: What predictions do you have — for your company, your industry or both — in 2026?
Clarke: We anticipate continued growth in global demand for high-quality air curtains, especially those with connected, smart controls. As buildings become smarter and more efficient, technology-enabled air curtains will play a bigger role in supporting comfort, energy performance and operational visibility.
— Natalie Clarke is the marketing manager of Berner International. This Q&A originally was published in the December 2025/January 2026 issue of Retail & Restaurant Facility Business magazine. For more information in having your company profiled in a future Signature Vendor Spotlight, please contact Scott Royal at sroyal@francemediainc.com.