The Largest Air Filtration Companies Worldwide
Even though the industrial air filtration market is a billion Dollar/Euro industry, there are only a few large suppliers offering standardized filtration equipment. When a new site is constructed, Emission Control or handling Dust, Fumes, Odors the right way is often not high on the priority list. There are other matters deemed more important, and the main contractor has delegated these systems to well-known suppliers with household names like:
- Donaldson Company
- Camfill
- Nederman
- Mann+Hummel
- Freudenberg Filtration Technology
- AAF International
For these greenfield sites, a standard solution might be sufficient for the time being. A lot of the requirements are also still unknown with completely new production lines. Also new pilot plants for new products often choose for more familiar names and decide to optimize later. After a few years, the engineering team at the site will look for improvement projects to optimize operations with tailored solutions (for example with JOA). Therefore, we do not consider these companies as competitors. They serve another need and often to broader segments. Our clients also state that these respected players are not competing for the same projects. Therefore, we feel free to mention them. When JOA is not able to help out, perhaps one of the parties below can be of assistance.
Please find below a review of our perception of these standard filtration equipment suppliers. This review is derived from years of interacting with, updating, and replacing their existing installations:
Donaldson Company
Quick Facts:
- One of the largest supplier of standard filtration and contamination control equipment with a revenue of $3.3B.
- Headquarters in Bloomington, MN – USA. Founded in 1915 after inventing the world’s first effective air filter for a farm tractor
- 40+ Countries with Donaldson locations, over 13,000 employees
- Wide variety of industry segments are Construction, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing, Power Generation, Aerospace and Transportation.
Donaldson Company is a global filtration company that has been around for over 100 years. Everybody in the process industry knows Donaldson. The company is driven to provide solutions to its customers and is committed to doing the right thing in business and community. Regarding brand recognition, they did an amazing job and their big blue dust collection systems are frequently found in several sites worldwide. Recently, they have announced building a new production location in Mexico.
Donaldson produces and markets air filters used in various industry sectors such as commercial/industrial. With their large installed base, their focus seems to be on offering service and spare parts. They focus on strong customer relationships and global presence.
Key Products:
- Dust Collection Systems
- Ventilation
- Service (like maintenance) & Spare Parts
- Engine Filters & Parts
- Also offers Compressors, Membranes, Hydraulic Filtration Solutions
Read more about Donaldson at www.donaldson.com
Camfil
Quick Facts
- Comparable to Donaldson, but less product & service focus and relating solutions towards benefits in Energy Efficiency and Clean Air.
- Headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Founded over 60 years ago as a family business.
- Revenue of $1 billion with about 5,200 employees.
- Mission to protect people, processes and the environment by defining, developing and delivering solutions that combine clean air with energy efficiency.
Camfil is another well-known household name, similar to Donaldson. Even though Camfil has Swedish origins, they also have a large presence in the USA where we have encountered them occasionally. They claim to be a global leader and pioneer in the mission to create healthy and clean Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Their main business areas are ‘Air Pollution Control’, ‘Filtration Solutions’, ‘Molecular Contamination Control’ and ‘Power Systems’, meaning air filters and acoustics for turbomachinery like gas turbines and industrial air compressors. It seems they also offer Wet Scrubbers, but we have never encountered them at any site we visited.
Camfil differentiates itself by taking responsibility by trying to influence public opinion by putting effort into Public Relations and creating content for PR, Press and Media. They also regularly organize webinars to discuss their capabilities. More recently, they are podcasting on topics like ‘How can you afford NOT to consider sustainable high performance Air Filtration as part of your Net Zero plan?’.
Key Products:
- Dust, Fume & Mist Collectors
- Air Filtration Systems
- Air Pollution Control
- Standard Filters, like Bag Filters, EPA / HEPA / ULPA Filters and terminal housings
- General Ventilation Filters
- High Temperature Filters and Molecular Filters
- Air Cleaners & Air Purifiers
Read more about Camfil at www.camfil.com
Nederman
Quick Facts:
- Most versatile supplier, “protecting people, planet and production from harmful effects of industrial processes”
- Headquarters in Helsingborg, Sweden
- One of the few parties with a clear strategic focus on Industry 4.0 by providing insights through Dashboarding and Sensoring
- Core industry segments are Woodworking, Welding Fumes, Food Processing, Vehicle Service, Emergency Stations, Laboratories and dentists.
From all larger suppliers, we encounter extraction systems from Nederman the most. This could mean they have more focus on Chemicals, Food Production, Plastics and Ingredients. We would consider Nederman as the supplier that is most innovative and is trying to distinguish themselves from the pack. They can be seen as a more ‘System Supplier’ as ‘Filter Supplier’ because they also provide the system. They separate sales segments to:
- Product Sales
- Solutions (for more complex tasks and specific problems)
- Service & Aftermarket
Also, their intention of transforming their business from providing product-based offerings to an outcome-based offering could grow closer to the proposition of JOA.
In recent years, Nederman has grown through multiple takeovers of smaller companies to gain expertise in certain segments or geographical presence. Examples are Robovent, Gasmet, Neo Monitors, Environmental Filtration Technologies, Energy Save Systems, LUWA Air Engineering and National Conveyors.
Nederman is also one of the larger suppliers of Wet Scrubbers, a system to remove harmful and hazardous particulates from industrial gas streams before being released into the environment. Nederman offers a wide range of products including Venturi Scrubbers, Dynamic Scrubbers, Mikro-Vane Scrubbers, Rotary Scrubbers, Packed Bed Scrubbers and Two-stage Scrubbers.
Key Products:
- Welding Fume Extraction
- Industrial Dust Collection
- Combustible Dust
- Exhaust Extraction
- Oil Mist Filtration
- Industrial Housekeeping (e.g. by Central Vacuum Cleaning Systems or Mobile Dedusting Systems)
- Wet Scrubbers (Nederman MikroPul)
- ‘Clean Air as a Service’
Read more about Nederman at www.nederman.com
Mann+Hummel
Quick Facts:
- Revolutionizing the world of filtration since 1941.
- Focus on Automotive. Also active in Indoor/Outdoor Air Quality, Water Reuse, Agriculture,
- Family owned. Headquarters in Ludwigsburg, Germany.
- 80 locations worldwide, revenue of 4.8 billion Euros per year.
We have not yet encountered systems of Mann+Hummel at our clients. The moments we did encounter them was to discuss technologies for the Automotive industry. They are very knowledgeable in this field and have a true focus on German quality and a large R&D department. Their references consist of a wide variety from airports, car manufacturers, Construction and Water Filtration.
It seems that also Mann+Hummel have some developments regarding Digital Transformation / IOT. Their IOT Lab started in 2016 in Singapore. Their focus is on future-oriented developments of intelligent, networked solutions in the area of filtration. They also have four Digital Hubs that are regional centers designed to devise and develop digital solutions in filtration.
Key Products:
- Indoor Air Quality
- Industrial Filters
- Air Cleaners and Intake Systems
- Liquid Filter Systems
- Membrane Filtration
- (Waste) Water Treatment
Read more about Mann+Hummel at www.mann-hummel.com
Freudenberg Filtration Technology
Quick Facts:
- Broad range of equipment, from Vibration Control Components towards seals and ‘technical textiles’, including Industrial Filters.
- Headquarters in Germany
- Sales of 677 million Euros with 3,552 employees
- Part of the Freudenberg Group with over 40,000 employees worldwide.
- Strong presence in Automotive, Steel, Metal & Foundries, Wood Processing, Cement, Cleanrooms & Pharma and ‘Consumer industries’. Also active in ‘Living’ like solutions for Home, Water, Office or other Indoor environments.
- Applications vary from Air Pollution Control, HVAC, Gas turbines & Compressors, Surface Treatment and Corrosion Control.
We’ve encountered Freudenberg mostly as a supplier of Industrial Filters and Filter Media. Occasionally, we might have even integrated their filters in our solutions. Still, they are less known to us. We have not encountered them that much as a solution provider. Their focus is on cost-efficient filter solutions. They have a clear webshop that makes ordering spare parts easy. Next to industrial Air Filtration, they have water and membrane filtration systems. The Freudenberg Group expands beyond filtration and aslo offers seals, turbines and many more technical applications.
They have a service program for dust removal units. They offer optimization, servicing and maintenance of dust extraction systems. They promise to work out a solution for any problem concerning dust removal. Another differentiator is the focus on containing Viruses by effective filtration.
Key Products:
- Filter media
- Pocket Filters
- Cassette Filters
- EPA / HEPA / ULPA Filters
- Filter elements for dust removal
Read more about Freudenberg at www.freudenberg-filter.com
AAF International
Quick Facts:
- American Air Filter (AAF) International designs air filtration systems for various environments.
- Focuses on improving indoor air quality in commercial, industrial, and residential areas.
- Offers solutions for energy and industry sectors, including dust collection systems.
- Part of the Daikin Group, committed to deliver global best-in-class standard air quality solutions.
- AAF was Founded in 1921
AAF International emphasizes Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and offers a broad range of air management tools and filtration services, with a significant focus on Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) solutions. They serve a broad spectrum of buildings and utilities, including hotels, restaurants, schools, shopping malls, and airports. Additionally, AAF specializes in high purity production areas and various industrial environments such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, food and beverage, data centers, biotechnology, automotive, and more, catering to their specific air quality needs with advanced filtration technologies.
AAF International also played a crucial role in the development of the first High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters during the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. Initially designed to capture radioactive dust particles to protect the health of scientists.
Key Products:
- HEGA / HEPA / ULPA Filters
- Dry and Wet dust collectors
- Filter housing
- Pre-filters
- Activated Carbon Filters
Read more about American Air Filter International at www.aafintl.com
Disclaimer
The above stated information is our own subjective perception. It’s limited and only reflects our opinion. In many cases, the companies above will be able to assist you accordingly. At other times, you might want to consider choosing another approach to guarantee results. Especially when you are facing complex challenges and larger production sites. We believe that a tailored, more holistic approach will suit you better. Please read 3 main differentiators of JOA to learn more about our preferred way of working.
What is the difference between a supplier of filters and a supplier of Industrial Filtration Systems?
The short answer to the question: ‘what is the difference between a filter and a filtration system’ is that a filter is just a part of a larger system consisting of fans, hopper, hoods, piping, filter media, housing and more.
JOA integrates the right filter media and filter housing into tailored Filtration Systems. The right filters, fans, piping, dimensioning, hood designs can be created by a thoroughly conducted Pre-Engineering Study together with Air Technical Modeling.
What is the difference between Standard and Tailor-made Air Filtration Equipment?
Many suppliers of filtration equipment state that they listen to their clients and offer tailor-made or customized solutions. Even filter suppliers state that their portfolio can be adjusted to meet any needs or requirements.
At JOA, we believe that to truly find the most suitable solutions to challenges related to dust, fumes and other emissions, you need a thorough understanding of your sites process. That’s why we always start with a Pre-Engineering Study. This way, we are able to come up with a Concept Design and Budget Quotation, truly tailored to your needs. Also read our blog on Standard vs. Tailor-made to learn more.
Suppliers of Air Handling Units, Air Purifiers, Air Conditioning and Ventilation and more
Finding partners to solve industrial issues related to dust, fumes, odors, VOCs, and aerosols often leads to confusion between suppliers of air purifiers and air filtration systems. While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they cater to different needs and scales of operation.
- Air purifiers, commonly used in homes or small-scale environments, are standalone devices designed to improve indoor air quality by removing contaminants such as dust, pollen, and odors. They are more effective in personal or small office spaces but lack the capacity to handle the scale or complexity of industrial settings where dust, fumes, or hazardous chemicals are present.
- Air filtration systems, on the other hand, are large-scale, integrated extraction solutions designed for continuous filtration in industrial processes. These systems remove not only fine particles but also larger dust, fumes, and potentially hazardous pollutants that arise in industrial environments. Air filtration systems often involve complex combination of components like fans, piping, ducts, hoppers, cyclones and specific filter media suited to each industrial process, ensuring efficient removal of contaminants on a much larger scale.
Other activities related to Air Handling, Air Purifiers, Air Conditioning, Ventilation are excluded from this review. Just like suppliers of solutions for Hospitals, Airports, Maritime, Shipbuilding, Utilities, Offices and more. Therefore, large names like Daikin, Honeywell, LG and Carrier Global are excluded from this list.
