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: October 31, 2022
IDA announces new leaders
The International Desalination Association (IDA) announced the appointment of Antonella de Luca, (Omya, Switzerland), Daniele Strongone (American Water Chemicals, Spain) and Rory Weaver (FEDCO, UK) as co-chairs of the organization’s Young Leaders Program (YLP).
The YLP was launched in 2009 at the IDA World Congress in Dubai to provide networking, mentoring and learning opportunities to IDA members under 35. Since then, hundreds of desalination professionals have passed through YLP events and activities. The co-chairs are excited to build on the previous success of the YLP in bringing together young professionals for opportunities to learn and network together.
Source: www.idadesal.org
Camfil upgrades its Hi-Flo filter
Camfil has introduced upgraded Hi-Flo bag filters for ePM1 60% and ePM10 60% efficiencies for improved energy performance and carbon handprint. The new Hi-Flo upgrade has been designed to support customers facing dramatic increases in energy costs as well as demands to act more sustainably.
The Hi-Flo bag filter, an air filter brand for over 50 years, is utilized in a full range of buildings from pharmaceutical production and hospitals to office buildings and commercial centres, to help protect people, processes and the environment. The Hi-Flo bag filter is characterized by its energy saving properties combined with stable and reliable performance.
Source: www.camfil.com
Sulzer appoints Suzanne Thoma as Executive President
The Board of Directors of Sulzer AG has appointed its Chairwoman, Suzanne Thoma, as Executive President of Sulzer. In this role, which will also see her assume operational management of the company, she will replace current CEO Frédéric Lalanne, who has announced that he will resign at the end of October 2022. The Board of Directors sees a need for action in view of the constantly evolving market environment and the associated structural shift in demand in the energy and infrastructure sectors. It has tasked Suzanne Thoma with conducting a thorough review and comprehensive realignment of Sulzer’s strategy.
Sulzer has leading technologies and significant untapped potential in the large and growing markets of energy, environment and industrial processes – particularly in the areas of resource and energy efficiency, decarbonization, water treatment, bio-based polymers and the circular economy. The Board of Directors has therefore decided to review the current corporate strategy and realign the company to better respond to constantly evolving demand. These actions are aimed at creating added value for all stakeholders.
Source: www.sulzer.com
Independent Dutch water research institute KWR demonstrates NX Filtration’s membranes retention of PFAS
Dutch water research institute KWR, performed full-scale tests on PFAS retention of NX Filtration’s direct nanofiltration (dNF) membranes. These have proven to be an effective and sustainable solution to facilitate the removal of PFAS, with an average retention of approximately 95% for representative PFAS groups.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoralkyl substances, are manmade substances used in many industries and products. PFAS are not biodegradable and are therefore referred to as ‘forever chemicals’, posing highly negative effects on the environment and human health. KWR conducted a series of long-term tests with NX Filtration’s dNF membranes on the retention of representative subsets of PFAS that are commonly seen in real life situations. KWR based it tests on both surface water (from the Lekkanaal in the Netherlands) and on biologically treated effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant.
These tests demonstrate that NX Filtration’s dNF membranes are a very effective and sustainable solution to facilitate the removal of PFAS. The average retention of PFAS20, a group of substances on the EU monitor to be regulated, was 94.7%. The average retention of PFAS4, a group of substances that Sweden will be using in its legislation, was 94.6%.
Source: www.nxfiltration.com
Danfoss and Beijer Ref renew partnership agreement with expanded focus on sustainability
Danfoss A/S, a global manufacturer of sustainable, energy-efficient, smart technologies and solutions, and Beijer Ref AB, a world-leading wholesaler of cooling and HVAC technologies, have renewed their longstanding partnership agreement.
Under the new 3-year agreement, the partnership will, for the first time, include an ambitious project plan to deliver upon the circular economy through piloting the circularity of products in all stages of the value chain.
With the renewal of the partnership contract and intensified focus on jointly developing new circularity practices as part of the partnership between Danfoss and Beijer Ref, the two companies are taking an important step in embarking on a circular economy transformation. Furthermore, both companies share ambitious ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) and sustainability targets, creating long-term value for their customers and the environment.
Source: www.danfoss.com
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Enters Guinness for the Complex of Jebel Ali Plants for Power Production and Water Desalination
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority set a new precedent by entering the Guinness Book of Records for the largest desalination facility in one location in the world, with a production capacity of 490 million gallons of desalinated water per day, equivalent to 2,227,587 cubic meters per day. This is the second world record set by the authority for the complex of Jebel Ali power and water desalination plants. The authority previously entered the Guinness Book of Records in 2021 for the complex for the largest power production facility using natural gas in one location with a capacity of 9,547 megawatts of electricity.
Source: www.idadesal.org
Ingersoll Rand Dosatron pumps provide Ukraine civilians with clean water daily
In Ukraine, attacks on water infrastructure and the movement of residents fleeing their homes have left as many as 16 million people needing assistance with water, sanitation and hygiene. Planet Water Foundation, a leading non-profit organization focused on providing access to clean, safe water, is responding to the water crisis in Ukraine by deploying AquaBlock emergency drinking water systems in villages across the Odessa, Kharkiv and eastern border regions. The systems use Ingersoll Rand’s Dosatron pumps, which are manufactured at the Ingersoll Rand Dosatron factory in France, to provide safe, treated drinking water to civilians.
Earlier this year, Ingersoll Rand proudly committed $1 million in Ukraine humanitarian aid. As part of this, the company funded two AquaBlock systems through Planet Water Foundation. These Ingersoll Rand-sponsored AquaBlocks are now being deployed, with each system providing clean water for up to 10,000 Ukrainians daily.
“We are honored that our Dosatron pumps are being used to ensure critical water supply for Ukrainians without electricity and secure access to safe drinking water,” said Nick Kendall-Jones, senior vice president and general manager, Precision & Science Technologies at Ingersoll Rand. “Ingersoll Rand is proud to partner with Planet Water Foundation to make life better for people in Ukraine.”
Source: www.ingersollrand.com
Camfil adds production plant in Australia
Camfil has invested A$200 000 in a new production plant in Australia. Located within one of Camfil’s Rydalmere warehouses in Sydney, the new production line can deliver products made-to-order. Camfil’s products from the facility are now labelled as “Made in Australia”. Initial production includes 30/30 pleated filters. In the future, Camfil will produce other models in the pleated panel range such as the Aeropleat III, AP-Eleven and AP-Thirteen.
“Camfil’s investment in this installation of a full pre-filter line provides our customers a peace of mind that they can get what they want and when they want it,” said John Mediati, commercial and product manager at Camfil Australia. “Thereby eliminating the erratic service levels that are generally being experienced throughout the Australian filter market.”
Source: www.camfil.com
Vitens and NX Filtration start pilot for testing IJssel river water as potential source for drinking water
Vitens, the largest drinking water utility in the Netherlands, is starting a pilot program with NX Filtration, the global provider of breakthrough direct nanofiltration (dNF) technology for pure and affordable water. In the pilot program, Vitens will use NX Filtration’s dNF membrane technology to produce drinking or industrial process water from the Dutch IJssel river. The pilot program of Vitens is expected to run from October 2022 to Fall 2024.
Today, groundwater is Vitens’ primary source for high quality and reliable drinking water production. As a response to growing demand for water in combination with increasing periods of droughts as a result of climate change, Vitens is looking for alternatives for its traditional groundwater sources and to alternatives to supply industries. This led Vitens to start testing new technologies for additional surface water sources in order to safeguard its water supplies to households and industries for the future.
Source: www.nxfiltration.com
FLSmidth and ABB collaborate to improve mining solutions
FLSmidth and ABB are to investigate ways to improve environmental performance, safety and productivity for the mining industry. Under a new agreement, the two companies will use their combined strengths across technology, equipment, mineral processing expertise, automation, electrification and digital solutions to look at ways to advance environmental and productivity solutions for mining customers.
The companies will jointly assess solutions for mining companies that will de-risk their operations and lower operating costs while reducing emissions, energy use and waste. They will explore the potential of using energy efficient solutions to address power and energy management, as well as integrating renewable sources of energy and digital capabilities to improve operational efficiency and the availability of assets.
Source: www.flsmidth.com
Leadership changes at Donaldson
Donaldson Company Inc. announced a number of new leadership appointments as part of a broader organizational redesign aimed at better-positioning the company to serve its end market customers. The company is moving away from its previous matrixed organizational structure, which included a regional focus.
The flowing appointments will take effect from 1 November 2022:
Guillermo Briseño, president, Industrial Solutions
Andrew Dahlgren, president, Life Sciences and Special Applications
Bart Driesen, president, Mobile Equipment Solutions Aftermarket
Richard Lewis, president, Mobile Equipment Solutions
Thomas Scalf, president, Enterprise Operations and Supply Chain
Keith Bechtum, vice president, Mobile Equipment Solutions OEM Sales
Mauricio Goes, vice president, Industrial Solutions Aftermarket and Service
Angela Zurick, vice president, Mobile Equipment Solutions North America Aftermarket.
With the new structure, Jeffrey Spethmann, SVP, Industrial Products, and Wim Vermeersch, VP, EMEA, will leave Donaldson after assisting with the transition.
Source: www.donaldson.com
Grundfos unveils new brand promise and tagline
Grundfos announced a new brand promise and tagline that encapsulate the company’s belief in the power of water to change the world.
Underpinned by the tagline ‘Possibility in every drop,’ Grundfos’s new promise is to respect, protect and advance the flow of water.
The Danish company says it respects and takes responsibility for water for the benefit of everybody on the planet; protects water wherever it exists from waste, shortage and inaccessibility; and advances water through relentless innovation for the sake of efficiency, energy and the future.
According to Grundfos, the new brand promise commits the organization to apply its expertise in identifying new possibilities for innovations and solutions that are more efficient, save more energy, save more water and help make the world a better place for future generations. It also renews Grundfos’s commitment to the UN Sustainability Development Goals, which underpins the company’s core business strategy.
Source: www.grundfos.com
Ahlstrom-Munksjö changes business name to Ahlstrom
Ahlstrom-Munksjö is now operating under the business name Ahlstrom. The name change follows the divestment of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Decor business which continues as an independent company under the Munksjö name.
“This is a natural step for us as the name Ahlstrom has more than 170 years meritorious history,” said Ahlstrom president and CEO Hans Sohlström. “We are serving five growing markets and are leading the development in all these areas among the top companies. We will continue to operate through 38 plants in 13 countries and with some 7,000 employees who represent more than 50 nationalities.”
In line with the name change, the company’s website address has changed to www.ahlstrom.com.
Ahlstrom has five divisions: Filtration, Food & Consumer Packaging, Healthcare, Building Materials, and Technical Materials. The company’s 2021 pro forma net sales for continuing operations were €2.6 billion.
Source: www.ahlstrom.com
SPX Flow’s Air Treatment business acquired by Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll Rand Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire SPX Flow’s Air Treatment business for a purchase price of US$525 million.
The Air Treatment business, which includes the Hankison, Pneumatic Products, Jemaco, Deltech and Delair brands, manufactures desiccant and refrigerated dryers, filtration systems and purifiers for dehydration in compressed air. With expected 2022 revenue of approximately US$180 million, the business has manufacturing capabilities in the US, Germany and South Korea and nearly 500 employees.
When the deal closes, the SPX Flow Air Treatment business will join Ingersoll Rand’s Industrial Technologies and Services (IT&S) segment.
Source: www.ingersollrand.com
