Air & Fluid Filters

Report Overview

Sales gains for air and fluid filters in the US will be fueled by further strength in manufacturing activity and construction expenditures, as well as by rising consumer concern with domestic indoor air quality and tap water purity. In addition, continued trends toward the incorporation of “smart” features and complementary monitoring devices indicating filter replacement time and toward specialized, industry-specific filtration media will support per unit value gains. 

Air washer & cartridge air filters to boast fastest gains

According to Air & Fluid Filters, a new report from The Freedonia Group, of the two primary product segments, fluid filters held over three-fifths of demand in 2015. Nevertheless, among product types the fastest market gains through 2020 will be seen in air washer and cartridge air filters, buoyed by accelerating production of air pollution control equipment. Advances in sales of air washer filters will be fueled by environmental regulations regarding sulfur dioxide and mercury emissions and the anticipated acceleration in electric power utility construction which will use state-of-the-art filters to comply with EPA standards. Continued growth in demand for consumer air cleaners that incorporate cartridge HEPA filters will boost value gains for cartridge air filters, as will the development of market-specific filtration systems.

Public utilities market dominant

Public utilities comprise the single largest market for air and fluid filters, holding just over one-third of demand in 2015. Utilities will also post one of the fastest gains of any key market through 2020, supported by greater pollution control equipment spending and greater municipal water use. Continued strength in manufacturing output will buoy filter sales to industrial markets. Stricter air and water regulations, such as standards governing the disposal of effluent from hydraulic fracturing activity, will fuel sales growth in both the utilities and industrial markets. Consumers are concerned about the quality of both residential indoor air and municipal water supplies. In particular, the latter is stimulating demand for higher-value filters capable of removing heavy metals and biological contaminants. Gains in residential construction expenditures will promote sales of whole-house air cleaning systems and point-of-entry water filtration systems.

Imports growing more rapidly than domestic production

Freedonia projects that shipment growth in US air and fluid filters will be driven by many of the same factors that drive demand, since most filters used in the US are made domestically. However, imports will rise faster than domestic production, aided by climbing demand for less expensive products fabricated in countries with lower manufacturing costs. Many US filter suppliers have also set up production facilities abroad to target emerging markets, limiting growth in US exports.

Study coverage

This study Air & Fluid Filters examines the US air and fluid filter industry. It provides historical demand data (2005, 2010, 2015) plus forecasts (2020 and 2025) by filtration technology (conventional filtration, filtration media, competitive technologies), product and market (utilities, consumer, industrial, other). The study also considers key market environment factors, details company market share and profiles 32 competitors in the US industry.

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