There are many similarities between the fiber, textile and nonwoven fabric industry and the filtration industry. The most obvious is that textile materials are used widely in the filtration as filter media. However, what is not so obvious and what few in the textile industry realize is that the filtration industry is as broadly segmented and highly fragmented as are the materials and applications in the fiber, textile and nonwoven fabric industry. Companies in both industries tend to specialize in a limited number of market segments, as its impossible to concentrate on too many segments and understand the nuances and remain an effective supplier in the marketplace. Secondly, no supplier has the variety of materials necessary to access more than a narrow number of distinct segments.
Filtration is also like another industry in many ways: plastics. Both filtration and plastics continue to outperform the overall economy. Although there are ups and downs, both demonstrate unabated growth. Further, legislation is filtrations best friend. Not many industries can make such a claim.