US air & fluid filter demand to reach $9.7 bn

Sales of air and fluid filters in the US will expand 3.8 per cent per annum to $9.7 billion in 2020. Advances will be fueled by a positive economic outlook, including continued strength in manufacturing activity and construction expenditures, as well as by increasing consumer preoccupation with domestic indoor air quality and tap water purity. In addition, continued trends toward the incorporation of smart features and complementary monitoring devices that indicate when a filter must be replaced and toward specialised, industry-specific filtration media will support per unit value gains. These and other trends are presented in air & fluid filters, a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Fluid filters comprise the larger product segment, commanding over 3/5th 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 promoted by environmental regulations regarding sulfur dioxide and mercury emissions and the anticipated acceleration in electric power utility construction spending, as newer facilities use higher-value, state-of-the-art filters to comply with EPA standards,” explains analyst E. Reta Sober. 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 are the single largest market for air and fluid filters, commanding just over one-third of demand in 2015. Utilities will also post one of the fastest gains of any major market through 2020, averaging 4.0 percent per year. Gains will be supported by increased spending on pollution control equipment and greater municipal water use. Continued strength in manufacturing output will boost filter sales to industrial markets, which are projected to climb 3.8 percent annually through 2020. Stricter air and water regulations, including standards governing the disposal of effluent from hydraulic fracturing activity, will fuel sales growth in both the utilities and industrial markets.

US air & fluid filter demand

(In million Dollar)

% Annual Growth