The latest in filtration technology The tasks of filtration are the separation or elimination of harmful substances before their release into air and liquid, for the protection of equipment from industrial circuits or for the recovery of valuable substances. The Germany-based nonwovens specialist TWE Group is continuously developing its offering to meet these demands.
T
here are many complex global challenges today that require a new way of thinking when it comes to filtration technology. These include global warming, population growth, urbanisation, the required increase in raw material and energy efficiency and the switch to sustainable energy resources. But there are also new opportunities, such as the emergence of Industry 4.0 and new possibilities in terms of product design, device technology and filtration performance. When looking at the filtration market, the expansion of existing products and market segments on the one hand, and a strong increase in new fields of application on the other hand, is becoming clear. In the field of engineering nonwovens, filtration is one of 50 Industry Europe
the areas with the greatest growth potential. Recent studies show that the global market for filter fabrics in 2018/2019 can exceed the €5 billion threshold. The predicted average annual growth rate is estimated at 5 per cent. The focus for air/gas filtration continues to be on fiber nonwovens with a share of 53 per cent (needle punched nonwovens: 10,075 tonnes; wetlaid nonwovens: 8160 tonnes). Filament spunbond fabrics and meltblown nonwovens have a combined share of 47 per cent. In comparison, the proportion of fiber nonwovens in liquid filtration is significantly higher at 73 per cent and 23,000 tonnes than in air filtration. In the area of liquid filtration, 9360 tonnes of polymer-based nonwovens were produced in 2016.