Coronavirus
Technology Solutions
Soaring Market
for High
Efficiency Air
Filters
University of
Waterloo
(Ontario)
Upgrades to MERV
13
Mitsubishi
Electric, India
Combines
Efficient Air
Filtration and
Cooling
Camfil Australia
Consolidates
Acquired
Businesses,
Airepure and
FilterTech
Glatfelter is
Acquiring Jacob
Holm
_________________________________________________________________
The public views
about air
quality are
changing and are
creating a large
long term market
for high
efficiency
filters in HVAC
systems.
Celebrities are
telling us in TV
advertisements
that you should
enter buildings
only if they
have a Well
Health Safety
Seal.
Wildfires in
Siberia and the
Western U.S. are
creating
unhealthy air
just at the time
the medical
profession is
advising the
intake of more
outside air.
The Delta
variant is
wreaking havoc
around the
world. The
latest thinking
is that
vaccinations
alone are not
going to be
adequate. Better
indoor air
quality along
with other
measures will be
needed.
Upgrades to HVAC
systems will
typically result
in MERV 8
filters being
replaced by MERV
13 or even MERV
16.
HEPA
filters will be
utilized in
spaces where
large numbers of
people will be
passing through
or congregating.
The use of HEPA
room air
purifiers has
grown rapidly
and the trend is
likely to
continue.
The market for
high efficiency
filters is very
strong in
countries where
there are large
numbers of
unvaccinated
people. In Asia
and Africa it
will be years
before there is
any chance of
herd immunity
even for a virus
less virulent
than the Delta
variant.
McIlvaine is
continually
revising air
filter and media
forecasts in
four different
efficiency
ranges for each
country and also
segmented by
commercial,
residential,
education, and
various
industries. The
report also
includes
forecasts for
gas turbine
intake filters
which use the
same media.
The excel based
report has more
than 20,000
forecasts and is
available for
$4,000.
Bob McIlvaine
can answer your
questions and
provide details.
His email
is
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com.
You can
also reach him
at 847 226 2391.
Hollingsworth &
Vose Raising
Media Prices
The North &
Latin American
filtration media
markets continue
to experience
significant
demand recovery
since the
downturn in
2020. The global
market strength
has led to
rapidly
increasing
commodity costs
in raw material,
transportation
and energy.
H&V is committed
to its
long-standing
relationships
including
consistent
supply, ongoing
capacity
investment and
product
innovation;
therefore, it is
necessary to
implement a
significant
price increase
in the Americas,
subject to
contractual
obligations. The
changes will be
effective on
filtration media
orders shipped
on or after
August 15, 2021.
Regional sales
account managers
will contact
customers to
provide
additional
details about
the
implementation
of the price
increase.
Waterloo’s
campuses have 63
major buildings
with 398 HVAC
units,
supporting a
variety of
research,
teaching and
staff and
student
activities.
Since November
2020, every
building has
been retrofitted
to accommodate
MERV13 filters.
MERV13 filters are
recommended by
the American
Society of
Heating,
Refrigeration
and
Air-Conditioning
Engineers and
over the
pandemic have
become standard
across the
industry because
they are more
effective at
filtering small
droplets and
particles that
travel through
the air (at
least 85 per
cent efficient
at capturing
particles in the
1 µm to 3 µm
size range).
MERV14 may
provide slightly
better
performance, but
are physically
too large for
the school’s
ventilation
systems. HEPA
filters,
although very
efficient, may
strain
ventilation
systems and
reduce air flow.
Air exchange
rates in campus
buildings vary,
for example, wet
science and
engineering labs
are typically
supplied with
100 per cent
outside air and
have high air
exchange rates
to limit
exposure to
various chemical
and biological
agents. This
makes lab
environments
inherently safe
when it comes to
filtration of
virus particles.
Other spaces
such as dry labs
and classrooms
have been
designed with
comfort in mind
and therefore
have lower air
exchange rates.
The mechanical
engineering team
is reviewing the
air flow for all
classrooms in
preparation for
fall.
With the
tropical India
summer season on
the rise,
Mitsubishi
Electric has
been consistent
in understanding
its customers’
Air Conditioning
needs.
Mitsubishi
Electric is a
premium brand
for Air
Conditioning
systems for
residential,
commercial, and
industrial use.
The company aims
to capture the
market and
provides its
customers with
their latest
range of Air
Conditioning
products
inverter and
non-inverter
categories.
Its complete
Room Air
Conditioner
(RAC) product
range comes with
5-year PCB
warranty and
10-year
Compressor
warranty.
Mitsubishi
Electric Air
Conditioners
also provides
powerful and
advanced
multistage air
filters – Plasma
Quad Connect.
These filters
effectively
prevent viruses,
bacteria, molds,
allergens, dust
& PM2.5 to give
clean and
healthy air. It
is a
high-performance
air purifying
device which can
even be
installed on
existing units,
contributing to
a better air
quality in the
room.
A new study by
global air
filtration
provider, Camfil
in conjunction
with University
College Dublin
(UCD) and the
Mater
Misericordiae
University
Hospital (MMUH)
has found that
Camfil's City M
air purifiers
remove aerosols
from poorly
ventilated rooms
at four times
the normal rate.
Experiments
conducted by
leading UCD
researcher and
lecturer, Dr.
Kevin Nolan of
the School of
Mechanical and
Materials
Engineering, on
the presence of
aerosol in
poorly
ventilated
spaces, used
Camfil’s City M
air purifiers to
rapidly clean a
room of aerosol.
For this
experiment, a
room at the MMUH
in Dublin
measuring 4m x
2.5m x 2.6m was
filled with
aerosol for
thirty seconds,
with the use of
a smoke wand.
The presence of
aerosol was
measured by
observing the
average image
intensity of
laser light
scattered by the
aerosol.
These
experiments
found that when
untreated,
aerosol slowly
dissipated over
500 seconds.
When the City M
air purifier was
at its maximum
speed, the
aerosol was
cleared in under
160 seconds.
When a small
heater was used
to provide added
natural
convection flow,
the untreated
aerosol
particles
dissipated in an
alarming 800
seconds, which
was reduced to
below 200
seconds with the
use of Camfil
City M.
The results of
these
experiments show
that Camfil’s
City M air
purifier can
greatly reduce
the presence of
airborne
particles
compared to no
treatment.
These findings
are significant because
on April 30th,
2021, the WHO declared
that COVID-19 is
transmitted
mostly through
the inhalation
of airborne
aerosols within
close range.
Camfil’s air
purifiers can
reduce the
spread of
COVID-19, while
also tackling
more
long-standing
health
problems. The International
Agency for
Research on
Cancer has
classified air
pollution -
particularly
PM2.5 - as a
leading cause of
cancer.
High--Efficiency
Particulate Air
filtration
(HEPA)
technologies are
capable of
greatly reducing
the circulation
of airborne
particulate
matter by over
99 percent.
Following
Camfil’s
acquisition of Airepure
Australia in
March 2020, the
clean air
solutions
manufacturer is
now
consolidating
its
Australian
businesses.
Airepure
Australia Pty
Ltd and
FilterTech
Australia ceased
trading, and
operate as
Camfil Australia
Pty Ltd.
Since entering
the Australian
market in 1999,
Camfil has grown
its local
presence, with
operations now
located
in Sydney,
Melbourne,
Brisbane,
Adelaide, Perth,
Canberra, and
The Gold Coast.
Camfil Australia
offers an
extensive range
of products and
technical
services
supporting a
wide range of
industry
applications.
These industries
include HVAC,
healthcare,
pharmaceutical,
life science,
food and
beverage,
mining, gas
turbines, and
many more.
Its combined
experience and
resources allow
it to
comprehensively
manage and
facilitate
capital projects
and subsequently
provide
specialist
services to
customers.
Services such as
NATA accredited
testing
complement the
core air
filtration
portfolio.
Glatfelter
Corporation has
entered into a
definitive
agreement to
acquire Jacob
Holm,
a global leading
manufacturer of
premium quality
spunlace
nonwoven fabrics
for critical
cleaning,
high-performance
materials,
personal care,
hygiene and
medical
applications,
for an
enterprise value
of approximately
$308 million
including the
extinguishment
of debt. The
deal is subject
to post-closing
adjustments.
“Today’s
announcement
represents
another
significant step
forward in
Glatfelter’s
transformation.
The combination
of Jacob Holm’s
quality spunlace
and advanced
fiber products
along with
Glatfelter’s
industry-leading
airlaid and
composite fibers
products will
provide a
best-in-class
suite of
nonwovens
technologies,
applications,
and expertise to
serve customers’
growing global
demand. By
acquiring Jacob
Holm, we will
further
diversify our
nonwovens and
substrate
offerings and
enhance our
overall
innovation
capabilities,”
says Dante C.
Parrini,
chairman and
chief executive
officer of
Glatfelter.
“Delta is so
contagious that
when we talk
about masks, I
don’t think we
should just talk
about masks,”
Scott Gottlieb,
former
commissioner of
the Food and
Drug
Administration,
said during a recent
appearance on
CBS’s “Face the
Nation.” “I
think we should
be talking about
high-quality
masks,” such as
N95 respirators.
In an interview
with The
Washington Post,
Monica Gandhi, a
professor of
medicine and an
infectious-disease
expert at the
University of
California at
San Francisco,
expressed a
similar
sentiment: “We
can’t say we’re
going back to
masks without
discussing type
of mask.”
Vaccinations,
experts
emphasized,
remain the first
line of
defense against
the coronavirus. “Far
and away the
best prevention
we have are
still the
vaccines,” said
Paul Sax,
clinical
director of the
Division of
Infectious
Diseases at
Brigham and
Women’s Hospital
in Boston. “All
of these things
pale in
comparison to
getting the
remaining people
who are eligible
for vaccination
vaccinated.”
But amid
concerns about
the rapid spread
of the delta
variant, “it’s a
fantastic idea
at this point in
time to move
toward
higher-quality
masks,”
especially if
you’re
unvaccinated or
otherwise
vulnerable to
severe disease,
said Chris Cappa,
an environmental
engineer and
professor at the
University of
California at
Davis. And for
fully vaccinated
individuals who
may still be at
risk of breakthrough
infections, he
noted, “the
delta variant is
a good reminder
that we
shouldn’t
necessarily quit
wearing masks
when we’re in
environments
that might be
prone to
transmission.”
Here are factors
that Cappa and
other experts
say you should
consider about
the use of N95
masks.
Not all masks
are created
equal
The efficacy of
a mask is based
on its material
and fit.
Medical-grade
respirators,
such as N95
masks, can
provide greater
protection from
infectious
coronavirus
particles than
surgical masks
or cloth masks,
said Linsey
Marr, an aerosol
expert at
Virginia Tech
who studies
airborne virus
transmission.
And because the
delta variant is
much more easily
transmissible
than previously
circulating
strains of the
coronavirus, “we
really need
highly
protective masks
along with
everything
else,” Marr
said. “Where a
simple cloth
mask was helpful
before, it’s not
helpful enough
now,”
particularly for
people who
remain
unvaccinated. The woven material of many cloth masks isn’t as effective at filtering particles as the nonwoven, meltblown polypropylene used to make surgical masks and respirators, Marr said. And properly worn N95s have a leg up on standard surgical masks because they are designed to fit snugly to the face — which allows them to filter at least 95 percent of airborne particulates.
“A surgical mask
is just a
rectangle and
you’re trying to
pull it to your
face,” she said.
“Obviously, our
faces aren’t in
the shape of a
flat rectangle,
so you
inevitably end
up with lots of
leaks.”
But, Marr noted,
it’s important
to be wary of
counterfeit
respirators. The
Centers for
Disease Control
and Prevention
has an online
guide with
lists of N95
masks approved
by the National
Institute for
Occupational
Safety and
Health, and tips
for spotting
counterfeit
ones.
KN95 masks,
which are
manufactured in
China and can be
equivalent to
N95s in
effectiveness,
have not gone
through the
NIOSH approval
process. But the
Food and Drug
Administration had
authorized some
KN95s for
emergency use by
health-care
workers when
there was a
shortage of N95
masks during the
pandemic. While
you can refer
to that list to
find effective
and not
counterfeit KN95
masks, Cappa
said he would
still recommend
a NIOSH-approved
N95. “I can have
higher
confidence that
it is high
quality,” he
said, and “the
ability and ease
to get N95s has
gone way up.”
Fit and mask
care matter
It’s also
critical to wear
N95s properly,
experts said:
There should be
no gaps between
the edges of the
mask and your
face. To test
the seal of your
mask, Marr
suggested
putting on your
mask and cupping
your hands
around it to
hold the edges
down. If
breathing
becomes
noticeably more
difficult,
that’s a sign
that the mask
likely isn’t
well-fitted.
People who wear
glasses can also
gauge if their
mask is leaky by
how much their
lenses fog up,
Cappa said.
Unlike cloth
masks, N95s
can’t be washed,
so pay attention
to the state of
your mask.
Gandhi said she
typically swaps
out an N95 every
three days as
long as it
doesn’t become
soiled. Between
uses experts
suggested
letting masks
air out,
preferably in
the sun. If
there’s any
visible signs of
wear and tear,
it’s time to get
a fresh one.
When handling
your mask, try
to avoid
touching the
front and make
sure to wash or
sanitize your
hands after,
Marr said.
Some people are
more at risk
Switching to an
N95 mask may
especially be a
good idea
for more
vulnerable
people, experts
said. This
includes the
unvaccinated as
well as those
who are
vaccinated but
may still be at
increased risk,
Sax said, such
as the elderly
and the
immunocompromised
or people with
multiple medical
problems. “If
they need to be
in settings
where they’re
mixing with
unvaccinated
people or they
don’t know the
vaccination
status, then
upgrading their
mask is very
reasonable.”
It may be less
important for
fully vaccinated
healthy people
to have a
high-performance
mask, experts
said. Combining
“really almost
any
mask-wearing”
and vaccination
still “provide
generally quite
good
protection,”
Cappa said.
He recommended
that vaccinated,
low-risk
individuals make
decisions about
upgrading their
masks based on
situational
factors. Keep in
mind, he said,
that the longer
you’re in an
enclosed space
in proximity to
other people,
the more your
odds of catching
something go up.
Community rates
of transmission
and
hospitalizations
should also be
considered.
There are other
ways to boost
protection
Although N95s
are considered
by many experts
to be the gold
standard, the
respirators —
which can become
uncomfortable
after prolonged
use — may not be
appropriate for
all vulnerable
populations.
Take, for
instance,
children who are
not eligible to
receive vaccines
but old enough
to wear masks.
Daikin
Industries, Ltd.
has recently
formulated its
strategic
management plan
"FUSION 25,"
which extends
from fiscal year
2021 to fiscal
year 2025.
In recent years,
enormous
structural
changes have
occurred in the
economy,
industry, and
society with
faster-than-expected
speed and
variability.
These changes
have widely
impacted the
business
activities of
the Daikin Group
and even the way
people live
their lives.
With the growing
importance of
environmental
and social
contributions,
companies are
called upon to
not only pursue
profits but also
to take the
initiative in
resolving the
social issues
set forth in the
SDGs. At the
same time,
customer needs
and values have
changed,
including a
shift from goods
to experiences,
and market needs
have expanded
for indoor air
quality and
ventilation due
to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Additionally,
digital
technology
advances have
greatly impacted
corporate
activities, and
their
transformation
of business
activities has
become an issue.
In the strategic
management plan
"FUSION 25,"
Daikin sees
these dramatic
changes as an
opportunity and
explored themes
leading to
sustainable
growth and
development by
viewing the
world and its
goals in the
coming 10 to 20
years from a
long-term
perspective and
then utilized
the back casting
method in
deciding which
themes to adopt.
To expand its
business and
continue to grow
and develop
while
contributing to
the environment
and society,
Daikin has
established
three growth
strategy themes:
"Challenge to
Achieve Carbon
Neutrality,"
"Promotion of
Solutions
Business
Connected with
Customers," and
"Creating Value
with Air."
In addition to
these, it set
"AC Business in
North America"
as one theme
from the
perspective of
strengthening
existing
businesses.
Also, in India,
where large
market growth is
expected, it
strengthens
local production
and expands its
business aiming
to make the
region one of
the major bases
of its global
business.
Furthermore,
Daikin raised
five themes to
enhance the
management
foundation:
"Strengthening
Technology
Development
Capabilities,"
"Establishing a
Robust Supply
Chain,"
"Promoting
Digital
Transformation
Supporting
Innovation,"
"Creating Market
Value and
Enhancing
Advocacy
Activities," and
"Improving HR
Capabilities
Through Advanced
Diversity
Management" for
a total of nine
key themes that
aim to ensure
Daikin success
in the era of
the new normal.
In terms of the
quantitative
targets, Daikin
has set a sales
target of 3.1
trillion yen and
an operating
profit margin of
10.5% in fiscal
year 2023, the
third year of
"FUSION 25," as
a mid-term
implementation
plan and will
make upfront
investments that
exceed 800
billion yen for
further business
expansion.
Targets for the
final year of
fiscal year 2025
are sales of 3.6
trillion yen and
operating profit
of 430 billion
yen (for an
operating profit
margin of 12%).
For carbon
neutrality, with
the base year
set at 2019,
Daikin aims for
a reduction (in
terms of market
ratio) of 30% or
more in net
emissions in
2025 compared
with emissions
during business
growth without
implementing
reduction
measures, and
50% or more in
net emissions in
2030 toward
achievement of
2050 carbon
neutrality.
Through "FUSION
25," a
management
strategy that
focuses on
implementation,
Daikin will
provide new
value for the
environment and
air and realize
contributions to
a sustainable
society and
Group growth. Quantitative targets for FY2023
9 Key
Group Strategies 3 Growth Strategy Themes
(1) Challenge to
Achieve Carbon
Neutrality
With the base
year set at
2019, Daikin
aims to reduce
actual
greenhouse
emissions (in
terms of market
ratio) by 30% or
more in 2025 and
50% or more in
2030, compared
with emissions
during business
growth without
implementing
reduction
measures, as it
works toward
target
achievement of
“Realizing
carbon
neutrality by
2050” that was
declared in
2018. To this
end, Daikin will
strive to
fulfill its
social
responsibility
by establishing
environmentally
advanced
technologies and
setting a course
toward carbon
neutrality while
contributing to
reductions in
electrical
consumption by
widespread
acceptance of
energy-saving
products such as
heat-pump space
and hot water
heaters and
inverter units,
conversion to
low GWP
refrigerants,
and creation of
a refrigerant
eco-cycle of
recovery and
reclamation. The
heat-pump space
and hot water
heater business
is positioned
with a focus on
Europe and North
America and will
accelerate the
shift from
combustion space
and hot
water heaters by
utilizing the
technology
cultivated in
the air
conditioning
business. Daikin
is also taking
on the challenge
of new
environmental
businesses such
as participation
in smart city
projects and
energy creation,
which are
expected to
contribute to
market expansion
and CO2
reductions.
Net CO2
emissions
reduction target
(2) Promotion
of Solutions
Business
Connected with
Customers
For air
conditioning
solutions,
Daikin is
changing to a
business model
of providing
experiences that
combine
equipment sales
with sales of
controls,
engineering
design, and
services to
fully meet
customer needs.
By directly
connecting with
users by
application and
market such as
hospitals and
factories,
utilizing
equipment
operation data,
and combining
energy
management and
IAQ technology,
it works to
provide new
value such as
providing
optimal space
for each
individual and
improving
comfort and
safety.
For
refrigeration
solutions,
Daikin will
horizontally
develop the
energy-saving
and
environmental
technology that
have been
cultivated in
the air
conditioning
business. In
this way, the
company intends
to contribute to
solving social
issues, such as
food loss along
with food safety
and security, by
establishing a
unique store
solutions
business that
includes air
conditioning and
refrigeration
equipment, store
design, and
maintenance. At
the same time,
it will take on
the challenge of
connecting the
entire cold
chain from place
of production to
place of
consumption.
(3)
Creating Value
with Air
By creating new
products and
services to meet
the growing
needs for indoor
air quality
(IAQ) and
ventilation due
to the COVID-19
pandemic, Daikin
aims to
establish a
major IAQ and
ventilation
business on a
global basis. In
addition to
taking on the
challenge of the
healthcare
sector through
the accumulation
and analysis of
air conditioner
and vital data
that serve to
improve health,
the company will
strive to create
value for IAQ
and air
environments in
order to enrich
people’s lives.
(4)
Air Conditioning
Business in
North America
Daikin will
expand
development of
its air
conditioning
business in each
region. In the
air conditioning
business for
North America,
the largest
market in the
world, the
company will
promote market
adoption of
inverters, heat
pumps, and low
GWP refrigerants
to meet the
stricter
environmental
policies, such
as for
environmental
and energy
efficiency
regulations,
that are
expected to set
in the future.
Aiming for the
No. 1 position
in the North
American market
in fiscal year
2025, it intends
to expand
energy-saving
equipment in the
residential and
light commercial
businesses and
implement a
full-scale
expansion of the
solutions
business.
(5)
Strengthening
Technology
Development
Capabilities
In the rapidly
changing
external
environment,
Daikin is
shifting
resources to
technology
domains and
themes relating
to a growth
strategy. The
Technology and
Innovation
Center (TIC),
which is the
technology
control tower of
the Daikin
Group, works
together with
relevant
divisions,
including its
global R&D
bases, to create
differentiated
technologies and
engages in
collaborative
innovation with
external
organizations to
produce
differentiated
technologies and
products.
(6)
Establishing a
Robust Supply
Chain
Daikin will work
to bolster its
supply system
amid rapidly
growing
uncertainties
that include
global supply
chain
disruptions and
the advance of
decoupling on a
global scale. It
further pursues
local production
for local
consumption by
shifting to
local-based
procurement,
prepares a
production
backup system
for risks, and
leverages
digital
technologies to
reform the
supply chain.
(7)
Promoting
Digital
Transformation
for Innovation
Digital
investments will
significantly
grow. Together
with providing
value
corresponding to
diversifying
customer needs,
Daikin will
increase the
speed of digital
technology
development,
build digital
platforms,
connect
equipment, and
promote
monozukuri and
SCM reforms.
In-house HR
training
centered on the
Daikin
Information and
Communications
Technology
College (DICT)
will develop
1,500 people by
2023 to
facilitate the
creation of new
products,
services, and
business models.
(8) Creating
Market Value and
Enhancing
Advocacy
Activities
Daikin will work
to gain broad
stakeholder
support for its
technologies and
products that
contribute to
the resolution
of social
issues,
including
achieving carbon
neutrality and
IAQ, and enhance
market value. It
will promote the
widespread
adoption of R32
and inverter
products where
their
penetration rate
is still low,
accelerate the
use of heat
pumps to
mitigate the
effects of
global warming,
and perform
refrigerant
recovery and
reclamation.
To create new
value with air,
Daikin will seek
the involvement
of universities,
research
institutes, and
industries to
establish new
safety and
security
standards.
(9)
Improving HR
Capabilities
Through Advanced
Diversity
Management
Daikin will
enhance the
corporate
culture based on
"People-Centered
Management,"
which is the
foundation of
its company
growth and
development, by
further adapting
the
organizational
DNA to the
changing times
and promote it
throughout the
entire Group.
The company will
develop human
resources
measures in
which all
members around
the world can
grow and fully
exhibit their
diverse
individuality
and infinite
potential. In
the era of the
new normal in
which workstyles
and way of life
have changed
from the impact
of COVID-19,
Daikin will
implement a
system that
leads to an
increase in
productivity and
new value
creation.
FUSION 25
Overview
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