Filtration Mergers & Acquisitions Review 2022

Filtration-related mergers and acquisitions announced or completed during 2022 are listed here with links to the stories on the Filtration+Separation website.

Image: dizain/Adobe Stock.

First Quarter 2022

 

Mann+Hummel acquires full ownership of Pamlico Air

Mann+Hummel strengthened its presence in the North American indoor air filtration market by fully acquiring Pamlico Air.

 

Mott acquires Italy’s ASCO Filtri

Mott Corp bought ASCO Filtri, its longtime filtration solutions partner in Europe.

 

Komline-Sanderson buys Fluid Quip

Komline-Sanderson Corp acquired Fluid Quip Inc, a manufacturer of capital equipment for the corn wet-milling and ethanol industries.

 

Franklin Electric adds to Headwater portfolio

Franklin Electric Co Inc’s Headwater Companies LLC acquired Blake Group Holdings Inc, a Connecticut, USA-based groundwater distribution company, in a US$27.1 million cash deal.

 

Management buyout for Grundfos’s Enaqua

The Enaqua management team acquired the UV water treatment company from Grundfos.

 

Centrisys reacquires full ownership of the business

Centrisys’ US company leadership acquired complete ownership of the Kenosha, Wisconsin-headquartered business.

 

Micronics acquires National Filter Media

The Micronics Engineered Filtration Group acquired National Filter Media (NFM), a US provider of air pollution control and liquid filtration products.

 

Sartorius acquires Novasep's chromatography division

Sartorius Stedim Biotech completed its acquisition of Novasep’s chromatography division, following approval by the US Federal Trade Commission.

 

Fibrix Filtration adds to nonwovens platform

Fibrix Filtration, a US provider of specialised high loft and pleat media air filtration products, acquired Americo Manufacturing Co, a producer of floor pads, cleaning accessories, OEM specialty nonwovens and floor matting.

 

Nijhuis Saur Industries expands in Italy

Nijhuis Saur Industries (NSI) acquired Sodai SpA, an Italian industrial water operations & maintenance (O&M) company operating in the energy and transportation sectors.

 

DXP Enterprises strengthens focus on water and wastewater

Distributor DXP Enterprises Inc is expanding in the water and wastewater markets in Illinois, Wisconsin and California with the acquisitions of Drydon Equipment Inc and Burglingame Engineers.

Drydon is a distributor and manufacturers representative of pumps, valves, controls and process equipment for the water and wastewater industry in the Central and Northern Illinois, Northwest Indiana, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan territories and markets. California-based Burlingame provides water and wastewater equipment for the industrial and municipal sectors.

 

Second Quarter 2022

Image © eyetronic - stock.adobe.com.

Lone Star acquires SPX Flow

US private equity firm Lone Star Funds closed its acquisition of SPX Flow Inc.

 

Ceco Environmental acquires Index Water

Ceco Environmental Corp bought substantially all of the assets of Index Water, expanding its water treatment solutions portfolio serving the Middle East region.

Index Water brings intellectual property, technologies and other assets to Ceco that support systems including process and potable water treatment, ultrafiltration, desalination and demineralization technologies, as well as effluent and sewage water treatment including biological and reuse technologies.

 

Systemair to buy Italy’s SagiCofim

Swedish ventilation company Systemair announced it was acquiring the Italian air filtration business SagiCofim SpA for €33.6 million on a debt and cash free basis.

 

Axel Johnson buys Norwegian filter distributor

Axel Johnson International’s Driveline Solutions business entered the Norwegian filter market with the acquisition of DP Filter AS, a distributor of filters for industrial, marine and mobile applications.

 

Ceco Environmental buys Compass Water Solutions

Ceco Environmental Corp acquired Compass Water Solutions Inc, a US supplier of membrane-based industrial water and wastewater treatment systems, in a US$12.5 million deal.

 

Nederman makes Australian acquisition

Swedish environmental technology group Nederman purchased the assets of the Australian company Ezi-Duct Pty Ltd in a SEK18 million deal.

Ezi-Duct manufactures and supplies ducting, fume extraction and industrial air filtration equipment. With this acquisition Nederman strengthens its position and product range in the Australian market.

 

KSS acquires Lionex technology and launches proprietary Li-PRO process

Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) acquired Lionex technology from Chemionex Inc, which will serve as the foundation for the launch of its proprietary Li-PRO process for direct lithium extraction (DLE).

 

DESMI to sell majority stake to private equity firm

DESMI A/S, the parent company of ballast water management systems manufacturer DESMI Ocean Guard A/S, entered into a definitive agreement to sell a majority share to private equity firm One Equity Partners (OEP).

 

Donaldson adds Purilogics to Life Sciences portfolio

Donaldson Co Inc bought Purilogics LLC, an early-stage biotechnology company that develops membrane chromatography products for the growing biopharmaceutical industry.

 

Ceco Environmental acquires UK-based Western Air Ducts

Ceco Environmental Corp acquired the UK-based industrial air quality consultancy and engineering firm Western Air Ducts Ltd, and its patented Inteliair air control system. Both brands are now be part of Ceco’s industrial air platform.

Western Air specialises in dust and fume extraction solutions, providing industrial air consultation, design, manufacturing, installation and aftermarket parts and services.

 

Evoqua expands in North America with Smith Engineering acquisition

Evoqua Water Technologies entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Smith Engineering Inc, a US designer, manufacturer and servicer of custom high purity water treatment equipment.

 

Mikisew Group acquires SmogBuster

Canada’s Mikisew Group, the business entity of the Mikisew Cree First Nation, acquired Edmonton-based confined space service specialist SmogBuster.

Established in 1991, SmogBuster provides confined space ventilation, particle filtration and climate control services as well as field services and shutdown planning, across Canada and internationally. This is Mikisew Group's second major investment in the confined space service industry this year, following its investment in remote confined space monitoring company Impact Safety Solutions.

 

AO Smith buys Atlantic Filter Corp

Water technology company AO Smith Corp acquired Atlantic Filter Corp, a West Palm Beach, Florida-based water treatment company in an all-cash transaction.

 

Filtration Group acquires Whirl-Pak

Filtration Group acquired Whirl-Pak, a US provider of sterilized sampling and testing solutions including a line of write-on, stand-up filter and other specialty single-use sterilized sampling bags and accessories.

 

Third Quarter 2022

Image copyright © 1302rei - Adobe Stock.

SWM, Neenah complete merger and form Mativ

Mativ Holdings Inc announced the completion of the merger of specialty materials manufacturers Schweitzer-Mauduit International Inc (SWM) and Neenah Inc.

 

Roxia acquires part of Aquachem

Finnish process technology company Roxia is deepening its cooperation with the German filter manufacturer Aquachem through a partial acquisition.

 

Evoqua Water Technologies acquires Epicor

Evoqua Water Technologies purchased privately-held Epicor Inc, a US manufacturer of powdered ion exchange resins and resin/fiber mixtures for the power industry.

 

Audax Private Equity acquires Rensa Filtration

Audax Private Equity acquired air filtration products manufacturer Rensa Filtration.

Founded in 2017 by industry veteran Brandon Ost and private investment partners, Rensa Filtration is a family of companies focused on air filtration. Rensa Filtration’s manufacturing and distribution footprint includes facilities in Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, and Texas, USA. Products are marketed across a range of brands including Rensa, Custom Filter, Viskon-Aire, Permatron, D Mark and Air Filters Inc.

 

Nederman acquires RoboVent

Swedish environmental technology company Nederman acquired North American industrial air filtration specialist RoboVent in a SEK430 million deal. RoboVent is now become part of Nederman's Extraction & Filtration Technology Division.

 

Wilo expands in wastewater treatment

Wilo made two wastewater treatment acquisitions in Germany: FSM Frankenberger GmbH & Co KG in Pohlheim and WSM Walower Stahl- und Maschinenbau GmbH in Walow.

 

Ambienta sells SF Filter Group

Asset manager Ambienta SGR SpA sold its portfolio company SF Filter Group to funds advised by Equistone Partners Europe.

Headquartered in Bachenbülach, Switzerland, SF Filter is a distributor of mobile and industrial filters. The company operates sales and logistics centres in Germany, Austria, France and Poland, and a number of export markets. SF Filter supplies over 27,000 customers in many European countries with oil, air and fuel filters as well as filters for liquids, hydraulic and pneumatic applications, dust extraction and air conditioners. The product range comprises more than 140,000 filter types, 40,000 of which are always on stock deliverable at all times.

 

Andritz buys Finnish environmental company J Parpala

Andritz acquired J Parpala Oy, a major player in the maintenance and repair of environmental equipment for industrial production and power generation plants in Finland.

The company, which was founded in 2011 and operates sites in Kokkola and Kaskinen, provides services for inspections, maintenance, mechanical upgrades, spare parts, and workshop repair activities related to filters, scrubbers, flue gas ducts, fans, conveyors, and other equipment in operation between the boiler and the stack.

 

DXP Enterprises adds to water and wastewater portfolio

DXP Enterprises Inc completed the acquisition of Sullivan Environmental Technologies Inc, a US distributor and manufacturers’ representative of pumps, valves, controls, and process equipment, including filters, serving the municipal and industrial water and wastewater industry in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

 

AAF International acquires National Air Filter

AAF International (American Air Filter Co Inc) acquired National Air Filter Service Company of New Jersey, one of the oldest and largest full-service air filtration management companies in the United States.

 

Hengst Filtration to acquire Brazil’s Linter Group

Germany’s Hengst Filtration is acquiring Linter Group, a Brazilian company that manufactures air filters and air filtration equipment.

 

Fourth Quarter 2022

Shanghai skyline at night. - Image copyright © fanjianhua - Adobe Stock.

Wilo expands in water management in China

Germany’s Wilo Group is acquiring two specialist companies in flood control and wastewater treatment in China.

Wilo acquired all shares in the joint venture Mating (Shanghai) Membrane Technology Co Ltd, a company that specialises in membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment.

Wilo also increased its stake in the German-Chinese joint venture Guhong (Shanghai) Environmental Engineering Equipment Co Ltd, a specialist in flood control, to 75%, and therefore acquiring a majority interest.

 

Cadiz to acquire water treatment technology company ATEC Systems

California’s Cadiz Inc entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ATEC Systems Inc, a provider of groundwater filtration systems for community, municipal, agricultural and industrial use.

 

Newterra acquires California’s H2O Engineering

Newterra Inc bought H2O Engineering Inc, a San Luis Obispo, California-based company that specializes in tailored water treatment solutions.

Founded in 2000, H2O Engineering delivers solutions across markets including indoor agriculture, light industrial, remediation, food and beverage and water reuse. Offerings include water filtration equipment, irrigation disinfection systems, ozone equipment, rentals and leases, system integration, automation, service and supplies.

 

Ingersoll Rand to acquire SPX Flow’s Air Treatment business

Ingersoll Rand Inc entered into an agreement to acquire SPX Flow’s Air Treatment business for a purchase price of US$525 million.

 

Indutrade acquires Germany’s Palas

Indutrade acquired the German air quality monitoring technology company Palas GmbH.

Karlsruhe-based Palas develops, manufactures and sells high precision equipment for generation, measurement and analysis of particles in the air. The company’s product range is based on polychromatic light source technology and is used particularly in the public sector by governments, municipalities/cities and other governmental organisations as well as in industry by companies in the pharmaceutical, medical, automotive and general industry sectors.