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: January 13, 2026
INDA Announces Future Dates and Locations for FiltXPO™ and IDEA® Events
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the future dates and locations for its FiltXPO™ and IDEA® events, reaffirming its long-term commitment to serving the global filtration, nonwovens, and engineered materials communities.
As part of this announcement, INDA confirmed that IDEA®, its flagship conference and exhibition, will return to its traditional three-year cycle following IDEA®27. While IDEA®27 will take place two years after the most recent IDEA® in 2025, this two-year timing is a one-time occurrence. INDA will maintain its long-standing cadence and value for this event moving forward. IDEA®27 will take place March 23-25, 2027 in Kansas City, Missouri.
IDEA® is the largest nonwovens and engineered materials exhibition in the Americas, bringing together global industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers. In addition to the exhibition, IDEA® features a robust conference program that addresses key industry hot topics, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, market trends, and emerging technologies.
FiltXPO™ is a conference and exhibition focused exclusively on the filtration industry. The technical conference program delivers in-depth insights into filtration science, applications, and advancements, while the exhibition provides a comprehensive showcase of innovations across the full spectrum of air, water, gas, and oil filtration components and technologies. FiltXPO™ 2026 will be held October 28-29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Future Dates and Locations
FiltXPO™ 2028
March 29–30, 2028
Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, North Carolina
IDEA®30
March 26–29, 2030
George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, Texas
FiltXPO™ 2030 (Co-located with IDEA®30)
March 26–29, 2030
George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, Texas
The co-location of FiltXPO™ and IDEA®30 in 2030 will provide expanded opportunities for cross-industry engagement, knowledge exchange, business development across the filtration and nonwoven sectors, and synergies for both exhibitors and visitors.
To view 2026 INDA events and professional development courses, visit: INDA | Full Events Calendar
Porvair Acquires Drache Umwelttechnik of Germany
Porvair has agreed to acquire the entire share capital of German-company filtration company Drache Umwelttechnik GmbH. Founded in 1974, Drache Umwelttechnik GmbH is a leading supplier to the aluminum filtration market and specializes in filters, consumables and equipment for the molten metal industry. The transaction is estimated at 20.5 mill. euro.
Drache Umwelttechnik GmbH employs around 100 people in Germany, the US and the UAE, and the transaction is expected to take place immediately.
Atmus Completes Koch Filter Acquisition
Atmus Filtration Technologies has closed its $450 million cash acquisition of Koch Filter Corporation from Air Distribution Technologies, Inc. The acquisition establishes an industrial air filtration platform that extends Atmus’ portfolio into high-growth segments such as commercial and industrial HVAC, data centers and power generation. The deal, which also created a new Industrial Solutions segment to house the Koch Filter business under existing Koch leadership, was financed through a combination of cash on hand and borrowings under an amended and restated $1.5 billion credit facility that replaced Atmus’ prior arrangement with a $1 billion term loan and a $500 million revolving credit line. This potentially strengthens the company’s scale and positioning in industrial filtration markets while tightening financial covenants and leverage parameters for lenders and other stakeholders, according to reports.
The acquisition establishes the Company’s new Industrial Solutions segment. The Koch Filter business will report into that segment and be led by Rakesh Gangwani, Senior Vice President, Strategy and President, Industrial Solutions. Mark Mattingly, Koch Filter’s president, who has deep industry experience established over three decades, will continue to lead the Koch Filter business, reporting to Rakesh Gangwani.
Cleanova Strengthens Filtration Portfolio with Strategic Acquisitions of Airflotek and TES-Clean Air Systems
Cleanova, a leading global manufacturer of advanced industrial filtration solutions owned by PX3 Partners, a London-based private equity firm, announced the strategic acquisitions of U.S.-based companies: Airflotek and TES-Clean Air Systems. Founded in 1993, Airflotek designs and manufactures custom air filtration and controlled-environment systems used in state-of-the-art cleanroom environments worldwide, serving industries with exceptionally stringent air-quality requirements, including semiconductor manufacturing, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.
TES-Clean Air Systems, founded in 1986, is the exclusive distributor of Airflotek products and brings decades of cleanroom and semiconductor application expertise, supporting a global customer base.
These acquisitions give Cleanova immediate entry into ultra-clean, controlled environments critical to AI-driven semiconductor manufacturing, the rapid build-out of data centers and high-performance computing infrastructure, and aseptic pharmaceutical and biotechnology production, where reliability, performance, and contamination control are absolutely mission-critical.
NONWOVENN Acquired by CorpAcq
One of the world’s leading nonwoven fabric-tech companies, UK based Nonwovenn, has been acquired by CorpAcq, the Altrincham-based business acquisitions compounder backed by TDR Capital.
The acquisition also marks the successful exit of BGF, the UK and Ireland’s most active growth capital investor.
Founded in 2003 by the current Chairman David Lamb, Nonwovenn manufactures and supplies technical fabrics for niche markets, including filtration. The company has a strong focus on harm reduction with its product range including materials for protective clothing and wound treatment. Following an initial multi-million-pound investment in 2016, BGF has supported the business through a period of significant growth.
The company has increased its annual turnover from £19m in 2016 to £46 million in 2025 and has continued its strong growth into 2026. The business has now celebrated 19 consecutive years of profit and is a significant exporter of goods. It is a major employer in Somerset and recently invested a further £1.5 million in research and development to enhance its CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) protective solutions.
MANN+HUMMEL Celebrates 85 Years of Filtration Leadership
MANN+HUMMEL celebrates its 85th anniversary in January 2026, marking a legacy of resilience and innovation that began in 1941. The company has grown into a global leader in filtration solutions, operating at more than 80 locations worldwide and employing over 21,000 people.
“Our mission remains clear: By Separating the useful from the harmful we are delivering solutions for cleaner air, water, mobility and industry,” said Kurk Wilks, President & CEO of MANN+HUMMEL Group.
From its origins in automotive filtration, MANN+HUMMEL has expanded into diverse applications, including water treatment, air filtration, cleanroom technologies, digital solutions and more, developing intelligent filtration and separation solutions across its two segments, Transportation and Life Sciences & Environment. With over 250 patents in filtration media and annual consumption of 75,000 tons of media, the company continues to set industry standards for precision and sustainability.
Looking ahead, MANN+HUMMEL’s strategy focuses on further expanding our leadership as the world’s most customer-centric filtration company, through investments in advanced filtration materials, innovations, digital platforms, and strengthening manufacturing and distribution capabilities across the globe.
Toray Membrane Tech Cuts Costs in Biogas Purification by 70%
A one-year trial held by Japan-based Toray Industries found that its membrane technology can reduce moisture removal costs in biogas purification by around 70% compared with those of existing technologies.
The trial was conducted at the biogas production facility of a customer’s sewage plant in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Toray targets natural gas and biogas purification and carbon dioxide capture from industrial exhaust.
The company claims that its all-carbon CO2/methane separation membrane resists chemicals and separate gases. Biogas purification turns biogas into biomethane by removing impurities from gas made when waste and other feedstocks ferment.
Traditional polymer and zeolite membranes break down on exposure to moisture, so facilities must first dry the gas with adsorbents. This extra step raises costs and creates barriers to scaling up methane purification.
Toray will showcase the technology at Nano Tech 2026, in Tokyo, Japan at the end of January 2026.
