Automatic roll air filters: motorized media-advance prefilters for large-air-volume HVAC and process air. Focus regions: North America, EU/UK, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, India, ASEAN, Japan/Korea, Australia/NZ.

Core application sectors

Automotive and EV factories, paint shops, welding, stamping.
Data centers and telecom hubs, intake prefiltration.
Pharma, biotech, vaccine plants, GMP HVAC.
Hospitals and laboratories, intake prefilters to protect downstream HEPA.
Airports, rail/metro depots, large terminals.
Food & beverage, cold chain logistics halls.
Marine and offshore platforms, engine rooms, HVAC intakes.
Mining, oil & gas camps, temporary or modular buildings.
Pulp & paper, steel, cement, glass, foundries.
Waste management plants, MRFs, WtE intakes.

Decision drivers

Stable pressure drop over long duty cycles.
Media autonomy and quick change without shutdown.
Compliance with ISO 16890, EN 16798, ASHRAE 62.1/52.2, WHO/CDC IAQ guidance where applicable.
Fire safety (UL 900 / EN 13501-1 for media), ATEX where solvents/dusts exist.
Corrosion resistance (galvanized, coated steel, stainless).
Controls integration (BACnet/Modbus), ΔP sensors, run-time logs.

Typical performance envelope

Efficiency: coarse/prefilter stage, ISO Coarse 60C90% (legacy G3/G4).
Face velocity: ≤2.0C2.5 m/s common.
Final ΔP: 200C300 Pa for media change.
Dust holding: ≥200 g/m2 typical for synthetic blends.
Power: 100C300 W per unit; single/three-phase 50/60 Hz.

Traditional global suppliers

North America: AAF International, Camfil, Parker Hannifin (former CLARCOR), Koch Filter, Nederman (process air), Filtration Group.
Europe/UK: Camfil, Freudenberg Viledon, Mann+Hummel (incl. former Tri-Dim in EU), AAF Flanders (EU ops), Parker, DELBAG (Hengst Filtration), AFPRO Filters, Systemair (HVAC integrations), Plymovent/Nederman in process capture.
Japan/Korea: Panasonic Ecology Systems (industrial HVAC), Toray (media), Korea-based HVAC integrators with ARF options.
Middle East: Regional HVAC OEMs and integrators pairing EU/US ARF units; limited local manufacturing focused on housings.
India/ASEAN: Indian and Thai HVAC fabricators offering ARF under license or as SKD assemblies; multinational brands above present via distributors.
Australia/NZ: Re-badged EU/US ARF platforms through local HVAC contractors.

Common problems in the field

Media logistics: mismatch between specified media and locally available rolls; long lead times.
Maintenance: skipped index cycles, broken limit switches, jammed shafts from dust cakes.
Uneven sealing: bypass leakage due to warped frames or poor gasket compression.
Controls: standalone panels without BMS visibility; no alarms for media end-of-roll or motor overload.
Corrosion: intake salt spray and SOx/NOx in coastal or industrial zones.
Energy: oversizing drives, no ΔP-based advance logic, unnecessary runtime.
Compliance drift: legacy G-class specs not mapped to ISO 16890; missing fire/smoke ratings for media.
Safety: unguarded pinch points, missing e-stops, poor IP rating on motors in washdown areas.

Pricing patterns (indicative, ex-works)

Unit hardware (1C3 m2 face area, standard steel): USD 2,500C6,000.
Stainless or marine builds: +25C40%.
PLC/BMS package: +10C20%.
Media rolls: USD 4C10 per m2 for synthetic; higher for specialty, flame-retardant, or glass.

Procurement and channel habits

End users rarely buy direct; tenders flow through MEP contractors and HVAC integrators.
Frame is often specified by OEM; media becomes recurring OPEX line.
Multi-year service contracts preferred in airports, data centers, hospitals.
Documentation required: ISO 16890 reports, materials certificates, electrical conformity (CE/UKCA/UL), IP rating, corrosion class.

Regulatory and standards landscape

Filtration classification: ISO 16890 replaces EN 779 in EU/UK; ASHRAE 52.2 MERV mapping in North America.
IAQ/ventilation: EN 16798, ASHRAE 62.1, WHO healthcare ventilation guidance.
Cleanrooms: ISO 14644 for downstream stages; ARF acts as prefilter.
Fire: UL 900 or EN 13501-1 for media; local building codes for panels/motors.
Electrical: CE/UKCA, UL/CSA as applicable; ingress protection IP54CIP65 preferred for harsh sites.

Technology trends and future planning

Sensorized ARF: ΔP, current draw, roll length, door open/close, indexed via PLC.
Predictive maintenance: media-life estimation from dust load and runtime.
Variable index logic: advance by ΔP or particle load instead of time.
Modular housings: containerized intake modules for data centers and camps.
Energy focus: tighter sealing, lower-drag media, EC drives.
Sustainability: recyclable media cores, LCA reporting, VOC-safe materials.
Compliance by design: native ISO 16890 labels, MERV cross-maps in submittals.
Cyber/BMS: BACnet/IP or Modbus TCP standard; optional MQTT telemetry.

Competitive positioning: HICLOVER

Strengths to leverage

Industrial builds for harsh environments, containerized or skid options.
Clear spec sheets: ISO 16890 mapping, final ΔP, media autonomy hours.
Healthcare, camps, and NGO project experience across Africa, Middle East, Asia-Pacific.

Gaps to close

Localized after-sales in North America/EU for media and spare parts.
Third-party certifications on media fire class and electrical conformity for tenders.
Reference lists by vertical: data centers, airports, pharma.

Product roadmap suggestions

Offer three standard lines: Economy (galvanized + timer control), Industrial (coated steel + ΔP control + BMS), Marine/Pharma (stainless + ATEX/FR media options).
Media kit SKUs by climate/dust profile: desert, coastal, urban PM, oily mist pre-capture.
Smart kit: plug-in sensor bar, Modbus/BACnet card, USB log export.

Go-to-market

Distributors: target MEP contractors and HVAC service firms in UAE/Saudi, Kenya/Tanzania, South Africa, Türkiye, Mexico/Colombia, Vietnam/Philippines, Australia.
Tender packs: quick submittal library with drawings (DWG/DXF), wiring diagrams, ISO 16890 test pages, UL/CE declarations, O&M manuals.
SLAs: 72-hour media dispatch from regional stock; swap kits for motors/gearboxes.

Buyer checklist (what they expect in proposals)

Duty conditions: airflow, face velocity, dust type, ambient temp/humidity, corrosion class.
Efficiency class and final ΔP trigger.
Media details: composition, basis weight, flame rating, roll length, expected autonomy.
Drive: motor power, gearbox ratio, limit switches, safety guards, IP rating.
Controls: local HMI, alarms, BMS protocol, ΔP sensor spec.
Materials: frame and panels, gasket type, access doors, inspection windows.
Services: install method, commissioning, training, spares, warranty.

Risks and mitigations

Media stockouts → regional consignment inventory and dual-source qualified media.
Improper installation → keyed drawings, on-site or remote commissioning checklists.
Salt/corrosion → coated or stainless BOM with documented C3CC5 class selection.
Spec mismatch → include ISO 16890/MERV cross-reference in bids.