Ploom
{{Short description|Brand of heated tobacco and e-cigarette products}}
{{COI|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Ploom
| logo = Ploom Logo.png
| industry = Tobacco
| predecessor = Pax Labs
| founded = 2007
| founder = {{ubl|Adam Bowen|James Monsees}}
| key_people = {{ubl|Veljko Vuckovic (strategy director)|Alexandre Sofianopoulos (RRP, Consumer Experience Management & Digital VP at JTI)}}
| owner = Japan Tobacco International
| website = https://www.ploom.com/
}}
Ploom is a brand of tobacco heating devices that integrates aspects of both traditional and electronic cigarettes. The device employs a technology that heats tobacco without combustion. It is marketed by Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTI).
History
= Early Developments =
Ploom was initially developed in California by James Monsees and Adam Bowen. The two friends were studying design at Stanford University. For their final thesis, they developed the design of an e-cigarette that would provide smokers with the nicotine they seek without the additional carcinogenic substances resulting from burning tobacco.{{Cite news |last1=Creswell |first1=Julie |last2=Kaplan |first2=Sheila |date=2019-11-23 |title=How Juul Hooked a Generation on Nicotine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/23/health/juul-vaping-crisis.html |access-date=2024-07-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Two years later, in 2007, they founded the company Ploom to distribute their e-cigarette.{{cite news |last=Yakowicz |first=Will |date=June 10, 2015 |title=This Silicon Valley Company Just Raised $47 Million to Smoke Cigarette Makers |url=http://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/pax-labs-vaporizer-company-raises-47-million.html |work=Inc.}} Unable to find support from financial institutions, Ploom relied on private investors like Nicholas J. Pritzker to launch their products.{{cite web |last=Huddleston, Jr. |first=Tom |date=June 10, 2015 |title=Investors are lining up for this e-cig, vaporization company |url=http://fortune.com/2015/06/10/pax-labs-funding/ |access-date=September 10, 2015 |work=Fortune}}{{cite web |last=Crook |first=Jordan |date=June 10, 2015 |title=Pax Labs Heats Up With $46.7 Million In Series C Funding |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/06/10/pax-labs-heats-up-with-46-7-million-in-series-c-funding/ |access-date=September 10, 2015 |work=TechCrunch}}
In 2010, Ploom released a model called the Ploom Model One Vaporizer, designed like an oversize pen. The initial Ploom e-cigarette did not have commercial success.{{Cite episode |title=The Spark |series=Big Vape The Rise and Fall of Juul |network=Netflix |date=October 11, 2023 |season=1 |language=English}}
= Partnership between JTI and Ploom =
In 2011, Japan Tobacco International invested $10 million into the company.{{cite web |date=February 16, 2023 |title=Newer Nicotine and Tobacco Products: Japan Tobacco International |url=https://tobaccotactics.org/article/newer-nicotine-and-tobacco-products-japan-tobacco-international/ |work=Tobacco Tactics from the University of Bath}} Ploom used this money to create the Pax, a vaporizer that resembled a stubby iPhone.{{Cite magazine |last=Tolentino |first=Jia |date=2018-05-07 |title=The Promise of Vaping and the Rise of Juul |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/05/14/the-promise-of-vaping-and-the-rise-of-juul |access-date=2024-07-22 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}} Subsequently, Ploom released the ModelTwo. In 2015, JTI acquired the patents and trademarks. JTI retains the rights to manufacture and distribute the ModelTwo device and the pods product line.{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Ryan |date=2015-03-11 |title=The Pax 2 Improves Upon One Of The Best Vaporizers On The Market |url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/03/11/this-was-published-at-4-20/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}
While the product was invented to support smokers, cannabis users discovered that the Pax streamlined the cannabis experience. JTI asked to part ways with Ploom. Ploom retained their rights to the Pax product, while Ploom changed their name to Pax Labs and bought JTI out of their share.{{cite web |last=Page |first=Barnaby |date=February 17, 2015 |title=Ploom and JTI agree to split up, divide heat-not-burn brands |url=https://ecigintelligence.com/ploom-and-jti-agree-to-split-up-divide-modeltwo-and-pax-brands/ |access-date=December 16, 2023 |work=ECigIntelligence}}
= After the JTI Takeover =
In 2016, Ploom was launched on the Japanese market and then in other countries, including France,{{Cite web |date=2014-04-16 |title=Ploom, alternative à la cigarette électronique, débarque en France |url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/paris-ile-de-france/2014/04/16/ploom-alternative-la-cigarette-electronique-debarque-en-france-460591.html |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=France 3 Paris Ile-de-France |language=fr-FR}} Italy, South Korea{{Cite web |date=2014-04-15 |title=«Ploom», le vaporisateur à tabac arrive en France |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/2014/04/ploom-le-vaporisateur-a-tabac-arrive-en-france-301623 |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=Les Echos |language=fr}} and Switzerland.{{Cite news |date=2017-07-21 |title=Avec Ploom Tech, Japan Tobacco aspire à fumer dans les avions - Le Temps |url=https://www.letemps.ch/economie/ploom-tech-japan-tobacco-aspire-fumer-avions |access-date=2024-07-22 |language=fr |issn=1423-3967}} The initial launch in Fukuoka, Japan, was so popular that shipments were suspended after a week due to a supply shortage.{{Cite web |last=Uranaka |first=Taiga |date= |title=Smoke without fire: Japan becomes test ground for real tobacco e-cigarette |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/business/smoke-without-fire-japan-becomes-test-ground-for-real-tobacco-e-cigarette-idUSKCN0WV0GQ/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=July 22, 2024 |website=Reuters}} According to JTI, Ploom would make it possible to inhale 99% of harmful constituents in less, compared to a cigarette that burns. But the owner also acknowledges that no toxicity studies have been conducted on Ploom.{{Cite journal |last=Nau |first=Jean-Yves |date=2014-04-30 |title=Tabagisme : Ploom® la nouvelle cigarette «à nocivité réduite» l'est-elle vraiment ? |url=https://www.revmed.ch/revue-medicale-suisse/2014/revue-medicale-suisse-428/tabagisme-ploom-R-la-nouvelle-cigarette-a-nocivite-reduite-l-est-elle-vraiment |journal=Rev Med Suisse |language=fr-CH |volume=428 |pages=986–987}}
In 2023, Romania is the tenth country where JTI is launching Ploom.{{Cite journal |last=E |first=O |date=September 28, 2023 |title=JTI Group vrea să investească 2 miliarde euro în produsele cu potenţial de risc redus |url=https://www.bursa.ro/jti-group-vrea-sa-investeasca-2-miliarde-euro-in-produsele-cu-potential-de-risc-redus-86698054 |journal=Bursa}} JTI plans to invest $3 billion in the global expansion of Ploom and is targeting 24 countries in 2024.{{Cite web |title=JTI to Launch Ploom in Greece |url=https://tobaccoreporter.com/2023/10/24/jti-to-launch-ploom-in-greece/ |access-date=2024-07-22 |language=en-US}}
References
External links
- {{Official|https://www.ploom.com/en}}
Category:Heated tobacco products
Category:Electronic cigarette manufacturers
Category:Tobacco companies of the United States
Category:American companies established in 2007
Category:Manufacturing companies established in 2007
Category:2007 establishments in California