Most face masks are made from materials called meltblown nonwovens. These unique filter medias are excellent at trapping tiny viral particles to protect the wearer. And it’s one of the filtration solutions produced by our Gessner brand. “Gessner is a leader in the filtration industry,” explained Christoph Stenzel, Group President of Filtration & Advanced Materials at Mativ. “We use natural fibers and polymers to develop papers, films, nets, nonwovens, cores, tubes, and machined parts that our customers use in their filtration products to help protect people, machinery, and the environment from hazardous contaminants.”
Filtration in modern life
As the pandemic demonstrated, filtration technology has never been more important. “During the pandemic, many more consumers became aware of the importance of indoor air quality – whether in offices, cars, or homes,” Christoph continued. “Our nonwovens and other technologies provide advanced specialty materials for applications such as HVAC, air purification, or cabin air, enabling filtration devices to more effectively capture bacteria, viruses, and other particles.”
The benefits of filtration technology expand well beyond cleaner, safer air. One might go as far as to say it makes modern life possible. “As the world’s population urbanizes – living in more densely populated areas – filtration is essential to enabling a higher standard of living – from pollution management to wastewater treatment to water purification,” Christoph illustrated. “It’s also critical because of the increasing demand for manufactured goods. The cell phone in your hand probably took about 3,000 gallons of fresh water to produce, all of which had to be filtered. When you think of how many phones are made every day, you can see why the demand for filtration materials has never been greater.”
Innovating for a cleaner world
Regulations are also a key factor driving demand for filtration technology. “Legislation such as the Clean Air Act in the U.S. and the Clean Air Programme for Europe set strict limits on pollutant levels – making pollution control a priority across all industries,” Christoph elaborated. “Meanwhile, industrial wastewater is closely monitored by governments, requiring expert filtration solutions. As these regulations become more widespread, the demand for specialty filtration materials will continue to grow.”
Gessner is committed to working with our customers to solve their most critical challenges by providing advanced filtration technologies that are as reliable, efficient, and cost-effective as possible – with a reduced carbon footprint. For example, in 2022, we announced our investment in a new meltblown line at our German facility. The new line, which is expected to come online in the first half of 2024, will produce a new portfolio of materials that offer higher filtration efficiency and are less energy-intensive to manufacture.
“Filtration is one of the many ways in which Mativ makes material impacts in everyday life, helping to make air cleaner, water purer, and industrial processes more efficient,” concluded Christoph. “We’re proud that our state-of-the-art solutions are contributing to a healthier society, for today and tomorrow.”
To learn more about Gessner’s filtration solutions visit their website or follow them on LinkedIn. Visit our solutions page to learn more about the Mativ family of brands.
