Top Takeaways:
- World’s first Puff-to-Heat device launched in Indonesia: First Union’s premium brand PTH unveiled the PTH MASTER on May 30, 2025, offering a new heated tobacco technology that eliminates preheating and improves flavor consistency.
- Breakthrough technology aims to reshape HTP market: The device incorporates three major innovations—AI-controlled distributed heating, engineered tobacco sheets, and a fast-response airflow sensor—offering a more intuitive, flexible, and harm-reducing experience.
- PTH MASTER signals industry shift toward convenience and sustainability: With recyclable materials, reduced emissions, and zero-nicotine options, the product is positioned to capture a global market increasingly focused on innovation, health, and regulation compliance.
First Union’s new premium technology brand, PTH, launched its flagship heated tobacco product—the PTH MASTER—on May 30 in Jakarta, Indonesia, marking a major leap forward in the heated tobacco products market. The device is the first mass-produced product to feature Puff-to-Heat (PTH) technology, a heating method that eliminates the need for preheating and promises consistent flavor throughout use.
Traditional heated tobacco products (HTPs) often require 15–30 seconds of preheating and cannot pause mid-session, creating rigid user experiences. PTH MASTER, by contrast, uses a proprietary Distributed Hexa-Core Thermal Control System with six AI-regulated heating modules to deliver heat directly and precisely to individual areas of the tobacco substrate.
This allows for instantaneous start and pause functionality—reminiscent of draw-activated vaping—with no compromise on flavor delivery or control.
“With PTH MASTER, we set out to redefine what heated tobacco can offer,” said Jack Kuai, product lead at PTH. “This new puff-to-heat system eliminates preheating and delivers consistent flavor from the first puff, making the entire experience simpler, smoother, and more intuitive.”
The new product also features the HOP Honeycomb-Engineered Tobacco sheet, which is optimized for point-to-point heating, as well as the Lingxi Airflow Sensor, capable of reacting within 30 milliseconds to user inhalation, according to a press release. The three technologies together aim to resolve two major consumer complaints about current HTPs: inconsistent flavor and rigid, pre-defined usage sessions.
Dual Modes, Precision Design
Consumer-centric design is a hallmark of PTH MASTER. The device features two intelligent modes—Ultra (six strong puffs) and Eco (twelve gentler puffs)—to accommodate different vaping needs. It also incorporates a 0.71-inch Chrono Halo Display and over 10 vibration feedback patterns to guide users in real time. It is made with 100% recyclable aluminum alloy and medical-grade ceramic mouthpieces.
The hardware includes an ultra-thin “Tiangong Chamber,” measuring under 9mm, which simplifies one-handed use and minimizes accidental activation. The entire design philosophy follows what PTH calls a “zero-compromise” approach—prioritizing intuitive usability, flavor satisfaction, and environmental impact reduction.
A key selling point for the PTH MASTER is its claimed tobacco harm-reduction profile. By maintaining heating temperatures below 350°C—well below combustion thresholds—PTH claims a 97% average reduction in harmful constituents compared to conventional cigarettes, based on World Health Organization testing standards.
Each HOP tobacco sheet contains just 120mg of tobacco—60% less than traditional reconstituted sheets—yet still delivers satisfying nicotine levels and flavor. A zero-nicotine version is also available.
The launch of PTH MASTER marks a milestone in First Union’s evolution from a major OEM manufacturer to a front-line brand innovator. The Shenzhen-based company has over 2,000 patents in heated tobacco technologies, including 200 international filings. By Q1 2025, the company had developed PTH MASTER through a global R&D collaboration involving over 100 specialists in materials science, electronics, tobacco chemistry, and industrial design, according to the release.
The company’s vertically integrated structure—with seven laboratories and six manufacturing centers worldwide—has allowed it to fast-track prototype iterations, conduct rigorous safety testing, and bring to market what it considers the next-generation standard for heated tobacco products.
For more information, visit www.pthmaster.com.
