MANN+HUMMEL new filter tech boosts sustainability

MANN+HUMMEL has unveiled its latest ‘nature-inspired’ filter technology as the global filtration expert accelerates its drive for greater sustainability.

The new MANN-FILTER comprises plant-based raw materials, is made using renewable energy, and is packaged in sustainable, recycled material.

Meanwhile, the Germany-based family business has been awarded its fourth consecutive gold medal by global sustainability ratings firm EcoVadis.

Filters with cellulose media have previously been impregnated with fossil-based phenolic resin, which provides stability, rigidity, and chemical resistance.

However, MANN+HUMMEL said it has now partially replaced this crude oil-based treatment with the plant-based raw material lignin, a natural product contained in wood.

Lignin is what makes wood stable and can also have the same effect on filter media, the company said.

Verified

The technology is initially being used in selected MANN-FILTER air and oil filters — but more filters will follow.

As a result, MANN+HUMMEL said it is reducing the CO₂ footprint of the relevant lignin impregnation during production by up to 5% compared to regular phenolic resin impregnation.

In addition, this reduces the amount of crude oil used for impregnation by around 27%.

The calculation of the CO₂ values and the calculation method for determining the crude oil savings have been externally verified and validated by German organisation ClimatePartner.

Thanks to the switch to lignin, the MANN-FILTER C 17 237 air filter, for example, saves nearly 4 tonnes of CO₂ and more than 4,500 litres of crude oil annually, based on 2024 sales figures.

In the independent aftermarket, these innovative and more sustainable air filters are now available as MANN-FILTER applications for almost 70 million cars and transporters in Europe, while oil filters are ready to use for almost 17.6 million vehicles.

The improved impregnation will be incorporated into defined series products.

‘Innovative’

Lars Spelter, lead engineer for filtration materials at MANN+HUMMEL, said: “This means that customers do not have to choose between different versions, no additional storage space is needed, and no additional part numbers are required.

“Externally, the partially plant-impregnated filters differ from the conventional ones. They are slightly brownish due to the characteristic colour of the lignin they contain and have a pleasant, natural odour. The innovative products are easy to recognise by the green leaf pictogram on the packaging.”

Meanwhile the company said that, from this year, it will only use electricity from renewable sources or a combination of green electricity and certificates and guarantees of origin from hydro, solar, or wind power plants.

From 2035, energy sources for the generation of process heat are also to be CO₂ neutral.

For MANN-FILTER packaging, the company uses at least 90% recycled cardboard from certified raw material sources at its largest filter plant in Marklkofen.

Business development manager Marian Anton said: “For the yellow-green box, we consistently rely on sustainable materials and use mineral oil-free vegetable oil-based paints as well as water-based adhesives and coatings.”

And more than 95% percent of the waste generated during the production of filters is recycled.

Anton said other innovative and sustainable product features are already being developed and some will be launched on the market this year.

“Sustainability is not a trend for us, but part of our DNA.”

The company, which is a member of the UN’s Global Compact initiative, also publishes an annual sustainability report that transparently documents the progress of its sustainable transformation.

Workshops and wholesalers can visit https://www.mann-filter.com for more information.