Camfil Farr has inaugurated one of the largest R&D centres in the world for the development of air filters, clean air solutions and filter production technology.
The new 2,500m2 Tech Centre is located 70km south of Stockholm, Sweden in the Baltic coastal town of Trosa.
The centre develops products with the latest laboratory and research equipment to meet a growing global need for air filtration solutions that safeguard health, satisfy stricter energy efficiency and sustainability standards, and meet emerging requirements for high-tech filtration using nano-fibre technology. The latter includes researching new polymer technology for developing new and more effective filter material, including hybrid media. Air filtration experts at the centre also analyse air quality and the impact it has on human health and production processes.
Anders Freyschuss, managing director of Camfil Sweden and Anders Sundvik, Camfil Farr’s vice president for R&D hosted the opening ceremony in Trosa in late October. Per Westerberg, speaker of the Swedish Riksdag, inaugurated the centre.
Camfil Farr’s Road Show trailer was also on location in the town for the event. This travelling mobile lab and exhibition has been touring Europe to spread knowledge about the importance of filtration and filters, and the benefits for IAQ and health, which is all in line with the company’s vision to make clean air a human right.
Our philosophy has been to use innovation to develop air filters that are more energy-efficient
At the Tech Centre there are six fully equipped labs, including a molecular lab for filtration systems to eliminate airborne molecular contamination (AMC); a gas turbine and air pollution control lab for turbine filters and dust collection solutions; a process development workshop to design proprietary filter production equipment; two particle labs for comfort and HEPA filter research; and an indoor air quality (IAQ) lab equipped with scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometry equipment to assess filter performance and air quality. Other facilities include complete test benches, wind tunnels and mobile test systems for comfort air, gas turbine and molecular filtration applications.
The new Tech Centre is one of a number of initiatives from Camfil Farr that aim to enhance the Group’s R&D capabilities globally. As the largest of four R&D units in the Group, the Trosa Tech Centre is the hub of the company’s global R&D network, which employs approximately 60 filtration experts and lab technicians at facilities in France, Germany, Sweden, India, Malaysia, China, Canada and the US. This network ensures that the product portfolio is steadily maintained, improved and advanced across all Camfil Farr business areas. It also drives the development of innovative filters and solutions.
‘R&D on this scale maximises value for customers,’ said Sundvik. ‘We collaborate and exchange our experience all over the world between research units. We develop the filter solutions and even design the process to make them.
‘Our philosophy for the past 50 years has been to use innovation and entrepreneurship to develop air filters that are more energy-efficient, greener and better for manufacturing processes, and for the health, life quality and well-being of people.’
