Global sales of nonwoven air/gas and liquid filtration media will rise from $6.1 billion in 2024 to $10.1 billion in 2029, a 10.7% compound annual growth rate, according to market tracker Smithers. Volume over the same period climbs from 826,500 metric tons to 1.1 million tons, a 5.9% CAGR.

Suppliers are responding with hard capital commitments. Alkegen, Hollingsworth & Vose (H&V) and Ahlstrom have each announced capacity or equipment investments, while Donaldson and Camfil have struck acquisitions to broaden portfolios and regional reach.

What is driving the growth by process?

Three processes dominate filtration nonwovens, and their shares diverge sharply from the broader nonwovens market:

• Wetlaid leads with 47.4% of 2024 consumption, lifted by demand for more sustainable products; growth will slow but stay positive through 2029.
• Spunlaid holds 29.6%. The Covid-era face mask boom triggered widespread meltblown line investment in 2020-21, leaving post-pandemic overcapacity that is now cutting prices and stimulating consumption.
• Drylaid (needlepunch) accounts for 17.9% and will be the slowest-growing of the three.

North America remains the largest consumer at 42.8% of tonnage in 2024, ahead of Asia (28.2%) and Europe (22.7%). Smithers projects Asia's share will reach 33.6% by 2029 — a regional demand shift suppliers are already positioning against.

Which capacity investments are confirmed?

Alkegen completed a $1.7 million investment in August in new needlepunch capability at its Fulda, Germany site. The elliptical pre-needle loom, installed on an existing needlefelt line, tightens control of web elongation in machine and cross directions. The company expects a 20% improvement in line performance and a 15% reduction in energy consumption per kilogram of fiber processed, plus less unplanned downtime from hydraulic oil leakage.

The Fulda line can now produce needled felts up to 4,000 gsm for steel industry applications and configurable across fiber lengths and constructions — industrial filtration, fire protection, acoustics, construction, white goods and PPE. Alkegen says its technical felt capabilities now address over 100 end-use pathways, using polyester, polypropylene, pre-oxidized fiber, polyimide, PTFE and aramid grades.

"This is about giving our customers confidence that we will keep investing in the capability behind their supply," says Peter Keck, senior business development manager at Alkegen.

H&V has completed a more than $40 million expansion at its Floyd, Virginia plant, including a new production line for advanced filtration media. "This new line will allow us to manufacture cutting-edge filtration media here in Floyd for important liquid applications," CEO Josh Ayer said at the ribbon-cutting. Targets include large commercial buildings, hospitals, cabin air, and liquid microfiltration for food, beverage and biopharma.

Ahlstrom is investing on both sides of the Atlantic. It has expanded production of Ahlstrom ECO media — which replaces roughly 30% of fossil-based phenolic resin with lignin and cuts formaldehyde curing emissions by 40-70% — from Louveira, Brazil to Turin, Italy for automotive filtration. Separately, an upgraded synthetic media line at Taylorville, Illinois starts up in Q4 2026, producing media with up to 100% synthetic fiber plus optional glass/cellulose blends for HVAC, liquid process, gas turbine intake and engine filtration.

"The investment expands our industrial filtration technology offering in North American markets," says Willy Bordignon, vice president, filtration Americas at Ahlstrom.

How are acquisitions reshaping the supply base?

Donaldson has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Filtration Group's Facet Filtration business for approximately $820 million in cash — about 20x calendar-2025 EBITDA, or 16.6x adjusted for tax benefits and synergies. Facet, which specializes in jet fuel and fluid filtration for aerospace, defense and power generation, generated 2025 sales of roughly $108 million and employs 236 people across the U.S. and Europe, with plants in Oklahoma and Spain. The deal awaits regulatory approvals.

Camfil closed its acquisition of Italian air filtration specialist F.C.R., effective January 1, 2026, adding local manufacturing and filtration design capability in Italy.

What new media technologies are entering the market?

Swedish biomaterials firm Adsorbi has commercially launched Arbomax, a cellulose-based molecular filtration media for air purifiers and HVAC systems, targeting aldehydes, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and organic acids. The cellulose is sourced from Nordic forests, and independent analysis found a lower carbon footprint than activated carbon grades, according to the company.

"Active airflow filtration is where cellulose-based materials can make the biggest impact, replacing fossil-based adsorbents," says CEO and co-founder Hanna Munge.

Ahlstrom introduced PurXcel, a molecular filter media platform made in Turin using a dry process, with adsorbent layers customizable for VOCs, SO2, NOx, ammonia and odors, plus particulate layers up to HEPA13. In automotive, Premium Guard Inc. has licensed the Febreze brand from Procter & Gamble for cabin air filters built on its Pureflow multilayer technology, rolling out through retail and e-commerce from early 2026 in North America and selected international markets.

For sourcing teams in filtration supply chains, the message is direct: capacity is being added in Germany, Virginia, Illinois and Italy ahead of a projected 66% sales increase by 2029, and buyers evaluating media suppliers should weigh regional availability, sustainability credentials traceable to measurable resin substitution and emission reductions, and the pricing effects of lingering meltblown overcapacity.