Filtermist drives innovation, growth, and sustainability through its air extraction and filtration solutions
Part of Sweden-based Absolent Air Care Group, Filtermist operates with a mission and ethos to protect people through cleaner, safer, and more productive workshops. To that end, the company designs, manufactures, and installs industrial air extraction and filtration solutions. Additionally, Filtermist provides maintenance contracts, local exhaust ventilation (LEV) services, and a range of process fluid filtration consumables and coolant control equipment throughout the UK. René Joppi, Managing Director, talks us through the company’s journey in the manufacturing industry.
“In 1969, Filtermist was established in Bridgnorth, Shropshire as a manufacturer of its own range of centrifugal oil mist filters, focusing on this application for the
next 45 years with furthering the scope for other clean air solutions since then. Oil mist is generated in a wide range of manufacturing operations such as machining, turning, grinding, and Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM). If left in the atmosphere, oil mist particles can endanger human health, create fire hazards, and increase slip risks. Additionally, they can damage sensitive electronic equipment like control panels. For this reason, in Great Britain, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) usually requires the presence of an LEV system on every CNC machine that uses coolant or neat oil during operation. Presently, Filtermist sells its UK-manufactured products to over 60 countries worldwide through a network of approved distributors. The company also has subsidiaries in Germany, China, and India, with their employees reporting directly to the UK headquarters in Telford,” he reveals.
Having joined the company at the beginning of 2025, René is well-positioned to share some insights into Filtermist’s plans for growth and expansion. “Internal air quality is rising on the agenda for manufacturers across the world, presenting significant opportunities for us to increase our share of the global air filtration market. This trend is relevant in our home market in the UK, but even more so internationally, where we are placing a strategic emphasis on expansion and growth. Recently, we appointed a Global Business Development Manager to drive growth across our key Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets, including India and China, while continuing to invest in other regions. India, in particular, is fast becoming a manufacturing hub for the entire APAC region, as air quality becomes an increasingly critical priority for this market.
“Beyond targeting growth in specific geographical markets, we are also focused on expanding our product offering. There is an exciting roadmap ahead of us that will enable us to enter new market segments while building upon the exceptional quality and reliability for which our product range is renowned. In Q2, we will launch a new line of filtration units specifically designed to remove dust and fumes generated in hot metal applications such as welding, laser cutting, plasma cutting, linishing, and grinding. Later this year, the initial range will be expanded to include extraction for applications requiring ATEX-rated equipment, followed by filters suitable for use in food and pharmaceutical production,” he elaborates.
Transformative project
To support its ambitious expansions plans, Filtermist is currently undergoing an extensive project to improve production efficiency and productivity, all while occupying less floor space. “By streamlining our production processes and adopting lean manufacturing methods, we are making our operations simpler and more efficient. At the same time, we are in the process of transitioning from a one-shift to a two-shift pattern to accommodate growing demand levels. This initiative has required investment in new equipment, as well as the remodeling of our main headquarters to accommodate additional staff. As part of this transformative 
project, we have conducted a thorough review of all our production processes to identify areas for improvements and increased efficiency. We have introduced one-piece flow methodology, which enables us to reduce our footprint significantly, thereby enhancing our operational efficiency. Furthermore, we have recently invested in automation, adding a DENN machine to our machine park and equipment lineup. We are also committed to continuous investment in research and development (R&D) to improve our existing products and introduce new offerings to global markets. Our in-house engineering team is currently focused on measures to reduce energy consumption, which is a high priority in many of our major markets across the world, and we plan to launch a new toolset to achieve this later this year,” René informs.
Enhancing sustainability
In addition to the new product developments Filtermist is continuing to adopt its sustainability strategy, as the company is working towards achieving neutrality by 2030 and aims to become carbon negative soon after that. “In 2024, we completed a double materiality assessment in preparation for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which will be implemented later this year. Additionally, we have introduced various measures to reduce power consumption and CO2 emissions, resulting in all our energy now being sourced from green tariffs. A project is also underway to upgrade our gas heating system to individual controls, ensuring heating is only on where needed. Last year, waste segregation was implemented in all communal areas, leading to a 55 percent increase in waste recycling from 2023 to 2024. Looking ahead, we are exploring the adoption of solar energy at our site and continuing to implement other measures to enhance our sustainability,” René continues.
Before our conversation comes to an end, René outlines his vision for the future of Filtermist. “In five years’ time, I would like us to have significantly expanded our global presence in all target markets and broadened our product range to accommodate more market segments. I want to look back on this period with pride, having taken on a strong business with a robust set of brands and, together with my team, successfully grown it even further.”
While advancing its mission for cleaner and safer workplaces, Filtermist is driving global growth through innovative and sustainable practices.