In the dynamic and global filtration industry, news and information is breaking on a daily basis. International Filtration News is tracking stories relevant to our industry from air and gas filtration to liquid filtration and the various end-uses for filtration technology. Here we will post news stories relevant to filtration and its downstream applications on an ongoing basis. Please check back for regular updates. If you have news that you feel should be added to this summary report, please email it to Ken Norberg: ken@filtnews.com
Most recent update: August 27, 2024
FiltXPO™ 2025: Call for Conference Presentations
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, in partnership with AFS, the American Filtration and Separations Society, announced the call for presentations for the Advances in Filtration Conference at FiltXPO™ 2025, scheduled for April 29-May 1, 2025, in Miami Beach, Florida. Filtration professionals are invited to showcase their latest research and technological advancements during this highly anticipated two-day event.
Abstract submissions are now open and can be submitted through the AFS website.
Conference Highlights:
Key Topics:
- Nonwovens and Filtration for Healthy Buildings
- Nonwovens and Filtration for Data Centers
- Nonwovens and Filtration for e-Mobility
- Sustainability and Circularity in Filtration
- Innovations Meeting Current Challenges of Filtration
Presentation Formats:
The conference will feature both oral presentations and technical posters. The Planning Committee will determine the appropriate format for each submission, with both formats considered equally valuable.
New Addition:
This year, the conference introduces technical posters, offering a platform for subject matter experts and research institutes to present their latest filtration innovations.
How to Participate:
To submit your abstract and for more information, please visit: https://www.afssociety.org/filtxpo-2025.
Deadline:
Abstract submissions are due by October 15, 2024. All submissions will undergo a peer-review process conducted by the Conference Planning Committee.
FLSmidth to Deliver Concentrate and Tailings Filters for Project in Arizona
FLSmidth has received an order to deliver five AFP2500 concentrate and tailings filters to the Hermosa critical minerals project in the Patagonia Mountains of southern Arizona, US.
A key requirement for South32 is to utilize the most efficient process technologies with the lowest environmental impact. The project’s design is expected to result in ~75% less water consumption compared to other mines in the region, and FLSmidth’s filter tailings technology will be a key enabler of this.
“A key element in enabling sustainable mining is among other to reduce water consumption. Consequently, South32’s ambition of developing a mine operation with a low environmental impact, including a significantly reduced water consumption, is fully aligned with our MissionZero ambitions. Tailings filtration is one of the core competencies of FLSmidth, and therefore we are obviously pleased to support the development of this important project”, comments Chris Reinbold, Products Business Line President at FLSmidth.
The value of the order has not been disclosed.
Aquaporin Enters Strategic Partnership with Brenntag
Aquaporin A/S, an innovative water technology company dedicated to rethinking water filtration with biotechnology, announced that Aquaporin has signed a distributorship agreement with Brenntag in APAC and in Turkey. The first membrane element order has already been shipped from Aquaporin to Turkey.
Brenntag has offices in more than 70 countries and works across many different industries, including water treatment. The global market leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution is driven by innovative technology and has decided to add Aquaporin’s CLEAR products to its portfolio.
Aquaporin is enthusiastic about the opportunities that this new strategic partnership with Brenntag will bring. This partnership is set to open new doors and significantly expand Aquaporin’s reach in the industrial element business. Already contributing to revenue numbers in 2024, Aquaporin expects this collaboration to contribute to a double-digit growth in 2025 in this segment.
Brenntag has an extensive line of water and wastewater treatment products and has the expertise to assist with many aspects in a broad spectrum of applications.
Mold, Pollen, and Particulate Matter in Car Cabin Air
Every third vehicle interior is contaminated with bacteria, mold, particulate matter, pollen, and harmful gases. In Germany, a new VDI and ZDK guideline defines requirements for providing healthy air in cars in the long run.
An air conditioning system is indispensable for many people when they are driving in hot weather. To ensure that clean air flows into the vehicle interior, both the evaporator and the cabin air filter must be serviced or replaced regularly. However, service intervals are often not adhered to since most car drivers are not aware of them. Dirty cabin air filters and poorly maintained air conditioning systems can cause health risks. The new guideline 6032, sheet 1 issued by the VDI (Association of German Engineers) and the ZDK (German Association of the Motor Trade) is intended to remedy this. It regulates hygiene requirements for ventilation technology in passenger cars and trucks.
Dr. Andreas Winkens, Chair of the VDI Guidelines Committees for air hygiene in vehicles, explains: “In the new guideline, we have defined several parameters to ensure the air drawn into vehicles is hygienically clean. These include, among other things, cleaning the air conditioning system, changing intervals for cabin air filters, how these filters should be changed and, of course, the quality of filters because cabin air filters in vehicles should in fact keep out all unwanted hitchhikers. But unfortunately, filters are often old, heavily soiled or incorrectly installed. Harmful gases and noxious particles then enter the vehicle interior via the ventilation system and endanger the health of the driver and occupants. We are not talking about individual cases here, but about a mass phenomenon, since every third passenger car is marginally or heavily contaminated.”
David Keerl, expert for biofunctional filter materials at MANN+HUMMEL and a major contributor to the revision of the new guideline, said: “It’s really essential to regularly change the cabin air filter once a year or every 15,000 km. And it’s best to replace it with a highly efficient cabin air filter, such as our biofunctional MANN-FILTER FreciousPlus. By filtering out mold, germs, bacteria and pollen, it generates clean and healthy air for passengers in the vehicle and also protects the air conditioning system from contamination. This extends the lifetime of the air conditioning system because it prevents deposits from forming on the fine structure of the evaporator and also maintains the system’s full cooling and heating capacity.”
Flotilla Partners Announces Acquisition of Water Treatment Technologies of Florida
Flotilla Partners, an Osceola Capital portfolio company, announced the successful acquisition of Water Treatment Technologies of Florida (“WTT”), a move that significantly strengthens Flotilla’s market position and customer base. Founded in 2004 and headquartered near Orlando, FL, WTT is a leading provider of water treatment services for residential and commercial customers in Central Florida. The acquisition marks Flotilla’s 8th acquisition since the platform’s launch in January of 2023.
The acquisition of WTT bolsters Flotilla’s presence in several high growth Florida markets including Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville. WTT also further enhances Flotilla’s reputation as the leading water treatment services business in the state of Florida. Visit www.wttfl.com.
Walter Conner, CEO of Flotilla, said, “We are thrilled to have WTT’s talented team join Flotilla, recognizing their deep industry expertise, robust salesforce, successful track record, and shared vision to provide customers with world-class water treatment services. Combining Flotilla and WTT unlocks substantial growth and synergy potential, while also fortifying Flotilla’s position in the market.”
Patrick Watkins, Partner at Osceola Capital, said, “The acquisition of WTT aligns with Flotilla’s growth strategy to become the leading provider of water treatment services in Florida and the broader Southeast through the acquisition of exceptional businesses that complement our existing geographic footprint and service offering. WTT expands Flotilla’s reach into new service areas while increasing our presence and density in existing markets.”
Hengst Filtration Takes CO2 Out of the Air
The topic of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) and Direct Air Capture (DAC) has the potential to make a significant contribution to climate change and at the same time represents an important building block in the future economic system. That is why Hengst Filtration is proud to present the first CCU/DAC system for capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and then utilizing the carbon.
“With this technology, we are fully committed to our vision of “purifying our planet”, because we adsorb the pollutants from the air and then make them available for other processes,” says Jens Röttgering, owner of Hengst Filtration.
Carbon Capture and Utilization refers to the filtration, transport and subsequent use of CO₂. Direct Air Capture refers to the extraction of CO₂ from the air. The possible fields of application are diverse and range from the food industry to the construction industry, medical or pharmaceutical processes and use as a protective gas.
The benefits of this technology are the location-independent supply of CO₂ and, provided that the supply processes are safe and renewable energies are used, the use of a sustainable starting product for further material recycling.
Dr. Rolf Gausepohl, Head of the TechCenter Filtration at Hengst, comments: “Our CCU unit is fully developed and works in the daily process. We are now looking for suitable partners to further develop the technology and adapt it to real-life conditions.”
Johnson Controls and Truelink Capital Management Close Air Distribution Technologies Transaction
Truelink Capital announced that it has closed the transaction to acquire Air Distribution Technologies, a market leader in the air management and filtration solutions space, from Johnson Controls. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Air Distribution Technologies, with its robust market presence, will now operate as an independent company. Doug Schuster, the current leader of the division, will continue to lead the company.
“This strategic move is a monumental step for our company,” said Doug Schuster. “Operating independently under Truelink’s ownership empowers us to innovate and excel in the air distribution, filtration and movement markets. We are deeply thankful for the support from Johnson Controls during the transition period, and we are enthusiastic about the journey ahead.”
With over 4,500 employees across more than 25 global locations, Air Distribution Technologies is a key player in the HVAC ecosystem, boasting well-known brands such as Koch Filter, Titus, Ruskin, Krueger, PennBarry, and Tuttle & Bailey. The company was acquired by Johnson Controls in 2014.
“Truelink is committed to bolstering Air Distribution Technologies’ position as an industry leader and continuing its heritage of success,” said Todd Golditch, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Truelink. “We are excited to partner with Doug and his leadership team to make strategic investments that will drive growth and innovation. We strongly believe in the business, its employees and partners and are thrilled to collaborate to help the business reach its potential.”
This transaction marks the fifth acquisition for Truelink Capital, launched in 2022 by Todd Golditch and Luke Myers.
Atlas Copco Aquires Danmil A/S of Denmark
Danish process filtration company Danmil A/S has become part of Atlas Copco Group. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes high-end process filtration solutions for the pharma as well as the food and beverage sector.
“With this acquisition we are expanding our liquid and gas filter product range”, said Philippe Ernens, Business Area President for Compressor Technique. “This will also further enhance our expertise in this area for customers within pharma as well as food and beverage sectors.”
The company was established in 1986, and is headquartered and has its manufacturing plant in Greve, Denmark. Danmil has 26 employees and during 2023 revenues of 11 MEUR.
Danmil has become part of the Medical Gas Solutions Division, within the Compressor Technique Business Area.
Schenk Process FPM Becomes Coperion
Following its September 2023 acquisition by Hillenbrand, Schenck Process Food and Performance Materials (FPM) changes its legal name to Coperion, August 1, 2024.
Coperion is an operating company of Hillenbrand with 140 years’ experience in some of the world’s most critical processing industries. Schenck Process FPM has contributed an integral part to its divisions, which support processing solutions for manufacturing in polymers/performance materials, food, health & nutrition and aftermarket sales & services.
Aquastill Acquires SolarSpring Membrane Distillation
Aquastill, one of the leaders in modular membrane distillation technology (using waste heat powering desalination of sea water and industrial waste water), announces the acquisition of SolarSpring assets in the field of Membrane Distillation, following the insolvency proceedings of SolarSpring GmbH.
The assets acquired consist of the Intellectual Property (IP), laboratory equipment and selected R&D projects, which will be transferred to Aquastill BV in the Netherlands.
SolarSpring’s key people Rebecca Schwantes and Kirtiraj Chavan will support the transition and stay connected as advisors helping Aquastill to bring Membrane Distillation to the next level of technology readiness.
