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 Matt Migliore at mmigliore@inda.media.
Most recent update: July 31, 2020
Hollingsworth & Vose Company and Midwest Textiles reach agreement to produce and distribute embroidery materials and industrial specialties
Hollingsworth and Vose Company and Midwest Textiles established a Master Distribution Agreement to support the long-term growth of Embroidery Materials and other Specialty Products. Under the agreement, H&V will supply Midwest with the leading materials in the industry, and Midwest will use their specialty converting and nationwide distribution network to reach this complex and growing market.
This broad-based Distribution Agreement follows a joint effort by the two companies earlier this year to
sell ready-to-sew face mask kits to the general public that include Midwest’s Fabric and H&V’s filtration
media. This new agreement establishes an ongoing distribution platform that could eventually support
expansion into additional products and markets.
Source: hollingsworth-vose.com and midwest-textiles.com
Kaman Distribution Group announces new executive appointments
Kaman Distribution Group (KDG), a distributor of bearings, power transmissions, automation and fluid power products, has announced the appointment of Stephen Martin as Vice President-General Counsel and John Crawford as the Vice President of Human Resources.
Most recently, Martin served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Accuride Corporation. He holds both a Bachelor and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Miami and the University of Southern California, respectively. He received his law degree from Duke University School of Law and served in the U.S Air Force for six years, receiving multiple military honors.
Crawford most recently served as the Director of Human Resources for Barnes Group. In addition to his time at Barnes Group, he also has held positions at Titan America, Honeywell, and Mitsui-Kinzoku. Crawford holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts and a Juris Doctor from Albany School of Law.
Source: kamandistribution.com
Pentair names Pilla Chief Supply Chain Officer
Pentair plc, a global water company, has named Steve Pilla to its executive leadership team as Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer effective August 3, 2020. Pilla will be responsible for supply chain operations and performance and will report to John Stauch, Pentair President and CEO.
“At Pentair, we take seriously our commitment to delivering for our customers,” said Stauch. “Steve has a history of creating and growing business opportunities, establishing sustainable processes, and developing a strong culture of continuous improvement that drives value throughout the supply chain and, ultimately, to customers. With the appointment of Steve to the executive leadership team, we are reinforcing our commitment to accelerate the development of a world-class supply chain organization as we work to achieve our vision to be the leading residential and commercial water treatment company.”
Pilla is a recognized leader with expertise in leading global businesses, operations and supply chain teams. Pilla spent the last three years at Red Wing Shoe Company where he served as Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer leading its global manufacturing, supply, logistics distribution, quality and engineering functions. Prior to Red Wing Shoe Company, Pilla worked at Pentair for approximately 15 years, most recently as VP and General Manager of Pentair’s enclosures business prior to the spin-off of its electrical business (now nVent Electric plc).
Source: pentair.com
New membrane technology could reduce emissions, energy intensity for crude oil refining
Scientists from ExxonMobil, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Imperial College of London have published joint research on potential breakthroughs in a new membrane technology that could reduce emissions and energy intensity associated with refining crude oil. Laboratory tests indicate the patent-pending membrane could be used to replace some heat-intensive distillation at refineries in the years ahead.
Results of the research were published in the international peer-reviewed journal, Science.
“Through collaboration with strong academic institutions like Georgia Tech and Imperial, we are constantly working to develop the lower-emissions energy solutions of the future,” said Vijay Swarup, vice president of research and development at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company.
“Inspired by reverse osmosis technology that has reduced energy intensity tenfold for water purification, we decided to look into ways to use new materials for liquids separation, which if brought to industrial scale, could significantly reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions,” said Swarup. “This is one of many new materials ExxonMobil is researching to reduce energy intensity and CO2 in our operations.”
The research successfully demonstrated that naphtha and kerosene—the primary components of gasoline and jet fuel—can be separated from light crude oil using pressure instead of heat, reducing emissions and energy consumption significantly compared to traditional, heat-based distillation methods.
Sources: corporate.exxonmobil.com/, gatech.edu & imperial.ac.uk/
AFS Southwest – Virtual Meeting: ‘Molecular Separators for Promoting Process Separations in Industrial Applications’
The American Filtration & Separation Society (AFS), Southwest Chapter, will present a virtual meeting on molecular separation for industrial application, July 14, 1:30-2:15 CT. There are a number of different methods for enabling process separations. Depending on the technical and economic objectives at each facility the method selection may differ. Possible avenues or process separations can vary from mechanical devices to thermal means, and also chemically induced. This presentation discusses certain aspects related to the use of “molecular engineering” to promote or enhance the separation process of solids from liquids and liquid from liquids.
Register for the AFS virtual meeting: https://www.afssociety.org/event-registration/
Source: afssociety.org
Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister President visits Oerlikon Nonwoven Neumünster manufacturing facility
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the worldwide demand for protective masks and apparel has resulted in a record number of new orders in the high double-digit millions of euros at the Oerlikon Nonwoven business unit of the Swiss Oerlikon Group, according to the company. To recognize Oerlikon Nonwoven’s achievements in this regard, Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister President Daniel Günther visited the company’s production facility. Rainer Straub, Head of Oerlikon Nonwoven, was thrilled, stating: “The machines and systems for manufacturing manmade fiber and nonwovens solutions from Neumünster enjoy an outstanding reputation throughout the world. It is especially in this crisis that the technology from Schleswig-Holstein has proven itself to be absolutely world-class.”
In addition to a tour of the meltblown system and its assembly and production facilities, the visit by Minister President Daniel Günther highlighted the region’s five-million-euro digitalization program. Minister President Günther, said “The State Government is supporting higher education institutions and students in the present coronavirus crisis. With a five-million-euro digitalization program, we are investing on the long-term digitalization of our higher education institutions. With this, we are overall creating a future for young people, particularly also for those who could very well go on to invent the next generation of manmade fiber systems.”
The Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown technology – with which nonwovens for protective masks can also be manufactured, among other things – is capable of high-efficiency production of filter media made from plastic fibers. “Ever more manufacturers in the most diverse countries are hoping to become independent of imports. Therefore, what we are experiencing in Germany is also happening in both industrialized and emerging countries throughout the world,” said Straub. In addition to China, Turkey, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Austria and numerous countries in both North and South America, Australia and Germany are among the countries to which Oerlikon Nonwoven will be delivering machines and equipment before the end of 2021.
Source: https://www.oerlikon.com/manmade-fibers
University of Manchester announces breakthrough on 2D membrane technology for water filtration
Scientists from The University of Manchester have worked together to successfully develop a new, market-ready technology using 2D materials for water filtration.
Following an 18-month technical development and business planning program, funded by the university, the team of innovators has launched a spin-out company called Molymem Limited to help take the new membrane product into the marketplace. The technology has applications in the pharmaceutical, wastewater management and food and beverage sectors.
The breakthrough development of a high-performing membrane coating is based around a new class of 2D materials, pioneered by Manchester researchers Professor Rob Dryfe and Dr Mark Bissett, working with Clive Rowland, team leader for the Molymem project and the University’s Associate Vice-President for Intellectual Property.
Rowland explained that membranes are used globally for separation applications in a wide range of valuable markets. “But all of these applications can be expensive,” he added. “They consume high energy and are prone to fouling – and, as a result, require frequent deep cleaning with corrosive chemicals. This causes lost production time and, due to the harsh nature of chemicals being used, it also leads to a deterioration in membrane quality over time.”
Using chemically modified molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), which is widely available at low cost and easily processed, Molymem has developed an energy-efficient and highly versatile membrane coating.
Much of the lab-to-market work was carried out at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), which is dedicated to the fast-tracking of pilot innovation around graphene and other 2D materials. Graphene is the world’s first man-made 2D material and offers a range of disruptive capabilities.
Molymem is now ideally placed to raise investment capital to embark on its commercial journey – and interest has already been shown by industrial partners.
James Baker, CEO Graphene@Manchester, said: “The Molymem project demonstrates how the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre can help to accelerate a breakthrough development in materials science into a brand-new, market-ready product.
Source: manchester.ac.uk
Governor Cuomo says New York malls need HEPA filtration systems before they can open
New York malls will need high quality air systems that can filter out the coronavirus before they will be allowed to reopen, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Monday, as reported by CNBC.
“Any malls that will open in New York, large malls, we will make it mandatory that they have air filtration systems that can filter out the Covid virus,” Cuomo said at a press briefing.
High efficiency particle air filters, or HEPA filters, have been shown to help reduce the presence of Covid-19 in the air, according to a presentation from Cuomo.
Cuomo also said all businesses and offices should be looking at their air condition air filtration systems to determine if there is a need for improvement.
Read the full CNBC report on this story: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/29/malls-in-new-york-state-will-require-air-conditioning-systems-that-filter-the-coronavirus-gov-cuomo-says.html
Source: cnbc.com
