The Sweden based Camfil Group offers air filters and clean air products to protect both, people as well as processes. In this interview, Shashi Shekhar, Managing Director, Camfil India Pvt Ltd, says that the growing market of air pollution control product and air filters is encouraging the company to indigenise the production for fulfil the local requirements.

How has been the growth of Camfil since it was established in India?
Camfil India entered into air pollution control segment in 2012-13. While growth in this segment was slow and steady till 2020, it has picked up pace in the last couple of years. The positive trends have encouraged us to indigenise the production of our dust collectors which has led to availability of global quality products at optimised prices.

As a leader in air pollution control systems, what kinds of solutions do you offer?
With our air pollution control systems, we protect both, people and processes. Our range of solutions offer complete dust extraction systems right from the suction hoods, internal duct work, supports, external duct work, dust collector, blowers and monitoring systems if required. We also have mist collectors and wet scrubbers. Portable dust collectors also an area we specialise in. Our products are used in applications such as metal dust, chemical dust, seed dust, wood working, mining, rubber, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, metal spray, welding and grinding.

What is driving the air pollution control system market?
While air pollution is a centre subject, the factory emissions fall under the state subject. Individual states have their own emission norms and modes of control driven mainly by the state pollution control boards (PCBs). Rapid industrialisation, along with a number of multinational companies setting up manufacturing facilities across India, has resulted in increase in demand of air pollution control measures in factories at least owned by top class brands as they care about their people and processes in addition to worrying about the emissions. The implementation of emission norms is the key to reduce pollution from factories and some states are doing very well in the same.

How is Camfil helping its customers who are facing pollution challenges?
Investing in air pollution control is like a grudge purchase. The major challenge is that the benefits arising out of these investments are not tangible – like health of operators, lesser sick leaves, better safety & air quality in factories, and more efficient processes due to better dust control. Nobody likes to invest in something where the payback is not clear. However, with our total cost of ownership modules, we are assisting our customers to justify these purchases. Energy efficient solutions appeal to such customers when they can visualise cost savings in energy, while keeping emissions under check.

Could you please highlight on some of your innovations for controlling air pollution?
We offer complete solutions including a site survey, techno-commercial proposal, in-depth technical meetings to explain the concepts and designed solutions, proof of concepts if required, and supplies of entire system including duct work. Our dust collectors are guaranteed for 10 years of workmanship. Our cartridges are manufactured with a patented HemiPleat Gold Cone technology – the largest media area in a single cartridge – resulting in an overall lower foot print of the entire system; thereby saving space and energy. We offer solutions for handling all kinds of dust. We also offer Atex rated systems wherever required from our factories in Europe and US. With major focus on safety, we offer a whole range of safety options like explosion vents, flameless vents, sprinkler systems, inlet and exhaust valves, spark arrestors, etc. We have recently come up with a product, Gold Link, where customers can monitor the performance of the system remotely on their electronic devices.

What are some of the emerging trends in the sector at present?
Concerns on air pollution are growing and the government on their part is trying to have policies in place. It is the enforcement that needs more focus. Global firms are more focused on having these solutions over the local companies.

How do you intend to take your growth story forward?
The growing demand for air pollution control product and air filters will enable us to expand our production base not only from Gurgaon but also in the other regions of the country in the long term. Short term measures would be to focus on increasing localisation and to help more and more customers to protect their people and processes from air pollution.