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Tag: Filtrona

  • Filtrona Offers White Paper on Regulation’s Impact on Filtration Sector

    Filtrona Offers White Paper on Regulation’s Impact on Filtration Sector

    Filtrona released a white paper, The Future of Filtration: Navigating the Post-COP11 Landscape, examining how environmental regulation and shifting consumer trends are reshaping the filtration sector. The report points to mounting policy pressure from COP11 discussions, UN plastics treaty talks, proposed revisions to the EU Tobacco Excise Directive, and expanding Extended Producer Responsibility programs, arguing the focus is moving from outright bans toward producer liability and material accountability.

    Filtrona highlights rising cost implications tied to plastics legislation and lifecycle emissions, noting that suppliers able to validate low-impact, compliant materials may gain a competitive edge. The paper also explores demand trends across reduced-risk products and value combustibles, continued interest in capsule and specialty filters, and the potential for renewed innovation as key capsule patents expire, concluding that scientific validation and environmental performance will be central to future competitiveness.

  • Filtrona Certified as ‘Top Employer’ in Singapore and Indonesia

    Filtrona Certified as ‘Top Employer’ in Singapore and Indonesia

    Filtrona has been named a Top Employer in Singapore and Indonesia by the Top Employers Institute, recognizing the company’s human resources practices and employee-focused culture. Singapore serves as Filtrona’s global headquarters, while Indonesia hosts its Innovation Centre in Surabaya, which coordinates global research and development. CEO Robert Pye said the recognition reflects the company’s commitment to fostering employee engagement, collaboration across regions, and talent development. Filtrona noted that the certification supports its broader strategy of investing in its workforce to drive innovation, operational excellence, and customer service as it expands globally.

  • Filtrona Acknowledged for Environmental Practices

    Filtrona Acknowledged for Environmental Practices

    Filtrona was awarded an EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability performance, placing the specialty filter manufacturer “in the top 5% of companies globally for environmental, social, and governance standards,” while also securing validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its greenhouse gas reduction goals. The company’s targets include cutting Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 58% by 2030 and 95% by 2040, alongside reducing Scope 3 emissions by 63% by 2035 and 90% by 2050. Filtrona said the externally verified targets, developed using data from its nine global manufacturing sites, build on a previously reported 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and form part of broader ESG objectives, including expanded renewable energy use, supplier decarbonization initiatives, and increasing sustainable product development.

  • Filtrona Names Sand-Kristensen New CFO

    Filtrona Names Sand-Kristensen New CFO

    Filtrona announced the appointment of Tom Sand-Kristensen as Chief Financial Officer, where he will oversee the company’s global finance, legal, corporate governance, IT, and enterprise resource planning functions, with Filtrona streamlining internal responsibilities to strengthen accountability, financial discipline, and digital integration. He brings extensive international leadership experience from senior roles at Faerch Group, ROCKWOOL, and Carlsberg, spanning packaging, construction, healthcare, and food and beverage sectors. Filtrona says the appointment supports its long-term growth strategy and ongoing transformation of its specialty filters business, as Sand-Kristensen succeeds Tue Saabye.

  • Filtrona Expands Boreas Range

    Filtrona Expands Boreas Range

    Image: Filtrona

    Filtrona has expanded its Boreas range of filters for heated-tobacco products (HTP) with six new products. The new innovations will make their debut at the InterSupply trade show in Dortmund, Germany, Sept. 19–21, 2024.

    The new HTP filters include the Boreas Echo, which incorporates a heat protection design to deliver a pleasant user experience at an optimal temperature, and the Boreas Echo II, which enables a fuller experience in every puff with enhanced aerosol volume control.

    The Boreas Echo III features a proprietary triple Corinthian structure, designed to deliver a stable and steady temperature profile that ensures consistent performance comparable to leading products in the market. The Boreas Echo IV is made with a low-density paper bridge segment that is designed to optimize the balance between temperature and aerosol delivery.

    The new filters to be launched at InterSupply also include the Nimbus, which features a triple tube structure that delivers a balanced and consistent experience, and the Nimbus+, designed to enhance the generation of visible aerosol for a more intense user experience.

    “We are delighted to launch six new filters for the fast-growing HTP market at InterSupply. The Boreas range was well received by the industry when it was introduced in May this year,” said Filtrona CEO Robert Pye in a statement.

    “We have enhanced the Boreas range with new filter solutions that are innovatively designed to meet the unique requirements of almost any HTP application.”

  • Kicking Butt

    Kicking Butt

    Photo: Filtrona

    With its plastic-free products goal at the forefront, Filtrona’s new filter technology allows for a sustainable RYO option. 

    By Marissa Dean

    When thinking about filters, most people immediately picture pre-rolled cigarettes. They think of discarded butts and microplastics. But those images are changing as the industry evolves and consumers demand more sustainable options. Filtrona is working to fill those needs with its recently debuted trademarked Rip-a-Tip plastic-free filter for the roll-your-own (RYO) market. 

    “Made entirely from cellulose, the Rip-a-Tip is designed with convenience and configurability in mind,” says Filtrona CEO Robert Pye. Cellulose is a naturally occurring molecule made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and it is found in plant cell walls as part of the main structure. Being made completely of cellulose means that the filters will break down entirely upon disposal—removing the potential of microplastics leaching into the environment.

    The product is also highly customizable. “It also gives RYO tobacco companies the freedom and options to customize the filter to a preferred diameter, pressure drop and choice of substrate—such as white or unbleached sustainable materials,” says Pye.

    “In practical terms, each Rip-a-Tip stick is expertly crafted to hold six individual filter tips measuring 14 mm in tip length. Rip-a-Tip features the EasyRip System, which allows users to rip off the filter tips easily and quickly along the perforated line. This not only delivers an easy and enjoyable user experience but also importantly ensures there is no wastage after the filter tips are ripped off from the outer wrap,” Pye says.

    According to Pye, the outer wrap of the product can also be customized with color or print, and the design of the packaging boxes for the filters, which come in flip top, cigarette, push and slide, and side push and slide formats, can be customized. 

    The Boreas CoolBridge combines Filtrona’s sustainable cooling segment, ECO Bridge, with monoacetate and the company’s patented Fine Wall Acetate Tube.

    A Sustainable Future

    Like most companies, Filtrona has environmental, social and governance goals that it aims to reach every year. By 2050, Filtrona’s goal is to offer a complete portfolio of plastic-free products.

    The Rip-a-Tip supports that goal as “a biodegradable RYO filter solution that meets growing consumer regulatory demand for tobacco products grounded in sustainability,” according to Pye. It “marks an exciting material advancement in the RYO market,” which is expected to reach $45 billion in global value by 2033. 

    Along with the Rip-a-Tip filters, Filtrona has also launched its trademarked Boreas range of heated-tobacco product (HTP) filters, filling a market need as more consumers switch from traditional combustible cigarettes to HTPs and other reduced-risk products.

    The new range includes Boreas SideFlow, a patent-pending filter with a simplified design, and Boreas CoolBridge, a filter that combines Filtrona’s sustainable cooling segment, ECO Bridge, with monoacetate and the company’s patented Fine Wall Acetate Tube to create a balanced retention and cooling mechanism.

    “With this new Boreas range,” says Pye, “we are giving customers the option to create a customized, multi-segment filter by combining various types of base rods that are available in Filtrona’s comprehensive collection. As more of our customers move into the rapidly growing HTP market, we are thrilled to be able to support our customers with a dedicated range of HTP filters that bear the hallmark of our innovative and unique designs.

    “As consumer demand for HTPs continues to grow, our new Boreas range will enable HTP manufacturers to deliver the next generation of products that deliver the expected level of quality and user experience compared to conventional cigarettes while also meeting regulatory requirements.”

    What’s Next?

    The industry is constantly changing and evolving as regulations, requirements, health concerns, environmental concerns and consumer desires morph. According to Pye, Filtrona is well positioned to cater to the rapidly changing business environment.

    “We have a century of filtration experience and chemistry delivery expertise at Filtrona, coupled with an unparalleled drive for innovation and R&D and world-class global manufacturing capabilities,” Pye says. “In addition, our Scientific Services laboratories in Indonesia offer independent and accredited testing facilities for all our products.

    “Our industry knowledge helps companies to catch emerging trends, adapt to changes and build strong brands. We see an exciting future ahead in the industry where Filtrona will play a significant role in driving change and enabling business growth through product innovations, advanced technology and sustainable solutions.”

    Marissa Dean joined Tobacco Reporter in the summer of 2018 as a copy editor. Since that time, she has taken on additional responsibilities, including feature writing. Her skills span the publishing industry from layout and design to copy editing to content creation.
  • Filtrona Launches Plastic-Free RYO Filter

    Filtrona Launches Plastic-Free RYO Filter

    Photo: Filtrona

    Filtrona has launched a plastic-free filter for the roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco market.

    According to Filtrona, the Rip-a-Tip filter marks an exciting material advancement in the RYO market, a category expected to reach a global value of $45 billion by 2033.

    “The launch of Rip-a-Tip supports our ESG goal to offer a complete portfolio of plastic-free products by 2050. It is a biodegradable RYO filter solution that meets growing consumer and regulatory demand for tobacco products grounded in sustainability,” said Filtrona CEO Robert Pye in a statement.

    “As the tobacco industry moves toward plastic reduction or elimination, accelerated by complex regulations on sustainability, the Rip-a-Tip ticks all the boxes while enhancing the consumer experience with our century-long filtration expertise,” said Pye.

    The Rip-a-Tip is designed with convenience and configurability in mind, with the option for RYO tobacco companies to customize the filter to the preferred diameter, pressure drop and choice of substrate, such as white or unbleached sustainable materials.

    Each Rip-a-Tip stick holds six individual filter tips measuring 14 mm in tip length. To provide more “real estate” for branding and product differentiation, the outer wrap of Rip-a-Tip can be customized to a preferred color or print.

    Filtrona also supplies the packaging box for the Rip-a-Tip filters in popular pack formats, including the flip top, cigarette, push and slide, and side push and slide. The design of the packaging box can also be customized.

  • Filtrona Opens Upgraded Innovation Center

    Filtrona Opens Upgraded Innovation Center

    From left to right: Joyce Ng, global HR director; Hugo Azinheira, global director, innovation and ESG; Robert Pye, CEO, and Kow Lay Moi, global operations director. (Photo: Filtrona)

    Filtrona inaugured its expanded Filtrona Innovation Centre (FIC) in Surabaya, Indonesia, on May 29.

    The 2,242 square meter FIC houses an R&D facility and accredited scientific services labs that provide independent tobacco analytical testing services. The upgraded facility features a new exhibition area, co-working space and a heated tobacco product (HTP) testing lab that has tripled its capacity to meet growing demand. Filtrona also invested in a new HTP testing machine and a puff-by-puff aerosol analysis machine.

    The expansion of the facility follows Filtrona’s recent launch of its new Boreas range of HTP filters.

    The R&D facility includes a production area for manufacturing filter samples, a smoke test room, and a filter library with more than 11,000 filter designs produced from the 1950s to the present day.

    “With innovation at the heart of Filtrona, the FIC is a key node in our global operations and is instrumental in the design, testing and manufacture of specialty filter solutions for our customers,” said Filtrona CEP Robert Pye in a statement.

     “We will continue to invest in innovation and R&D to better serve our customers in product development and diversification, supported by our advanced knowledge on filtration, innovative designs, cutting-edge solutions for next-generation products, and alternative sustainable materials”.

    The FIC is part of Filtrona’s global network of innovation centers in Asia and Europe. Filtrona’s presence in Indonesia dates to 1976, when it established a site in Medan, North Sumatra. It moved to its current site in Surabaya in 1987.

  • Okman Joins Filtrona as Commercial Director

    Okman Joins Filtrona as Commercial Director

    Lutfu Okman (Photo courtesy of Filtrona)

    Filtrona has appointed Lutfu Okman as its new global commercial director.

    Okman brings with him over 25 years of commercial leadership experience, including senior management roles with multinational companies in the textiles, chemical and manufacturing industries.

    He succeeds Hywel Thomas, who has announced his retirement after 10 years with the company.

    “We are really pleased to welcome Lutfu to the Filtrona family,” said Filtrona CEO Robert Pye in a statement. “His proven track record of strategic commercial growth and wealth of experience make him an ideal fit for the role, and he is primed to drive our ambitious growth strategy. Lutfu plays a pivotal role in shaping Filtrona’s commercial endeavors and fostering sustainable long-term growth.”

    “I am thrilled to join Filtrona at such an exciting time in its journey, particularly during the 100-year anniversary of the company’s first patented filter,” said Okman. “I look forward to collaborating with the talented and passionate Filtrona team to drive our commercial strategy, deliver exceptional value to our customers, and contribute to the company’s continued growth.”

    Pye also expressed his gratitude for Thomas’ dedication and contributions to Filtrona. “Hywel’s leadership, strategic vision, and sharp business acumen have been invaluable to Filtrona, helping to make us the successful and dynamic global business that we are today. We sincerely thank Hywel and wish him the very best in his well-earned retirement.”

  • Green Pact

    Green Pact

    Greenbutts’ product is sold in bulk or as ready-made rods of filters and filter tips. Photo: Greenbutts

    Filtrona partners with Greenbutts to expand its range of sustainable filter offerings.

    By Stefanie Rossel

    Discarded cigarette butts are a major source of plastic pollution. Of the more than 5 trillion cigarettes produced globally per year, an estimated 4.5 trillion end up in the environment, with 40 percent making their way into our oceans and waterways. Smokers often are unaware that the products will not decompose. While most of a cigarette’s components disintegrate quickly when disposed of, the filter will not. Around 98 percent of cigarette filters consist of cellulose acetate (CA), a polymer that is very slow to degrade in the environment. Depending on the environmental conditions, a CA cigarette filter can take up to 14 years to degrade.

    While littering is illegal in many jurisdictions, the potential penalties, which can include fines, cleanup, community service or imprisonment, are insufficient to deter many consumers.

    By banning single-use plastics, such as disposable plastic cutlery, fast food packaging or cups, from July 2021, the European Union became a forerunner in the fight against marine litter and plastic pollution with its Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). While the legislation does not prohibit CA cigarette filters, it has established extended producer responsibility schemes (EPR) requiring tobacco companies to tackle the single-use plastic pollution generated by the filters they put on the market.

    Although a February 2023 report by Rethink Plastic Alliance and other NGOs noted significant delays in implementation, the SUPD definitely helped trigger a rethink within the tobacco industry on the sustainability of its products. Experts believe that environmentally friendly filter solutions will be the next big thing in the industry, and they may be right.

    In February 2022, the United Nations Environment Programme partnered with the Secretariat of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to raise awareness and drive action on the environmental and human health impacts of microplastics in cigarette filters, which it designated as a form of single-use plastic. One month later, the U.N. Environmental Assembly adopted a resolution to draft a legally binding U.N. treaty on plastic pollution, which addresses the full life cycle of plastic, from production to product design to waste management. Public health organizations around the world argue that the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the plastics treaty, the fourth session of which will be held this April, must consider a ban or strict regulation of all single-use plastics as a necessary measure to reduce pollution.

    Joining Forces

    Robert Pye

    To meet the growing demand for biodegradable filters, Singapore-based specialty filter manufacturer Filtrona in October 2023 announced a partnership with Greenbutts of California. Greenbutts has developed a patented substrate and filters that are made of all-natural, food-grade fibers, such as abaca fiber, cotton flock and industrial hemp as well as a starch-based binder, which debuted on the market in 2019. The product is sold in bulk or as ready-made rods of filters and filter tips.

    “Filtrona’s collaboration with Greenbutts strengthens our support for our customers in helping them shift away from CA to more sustainable materials,” says Filtrona CEO Robert Pye. “As a major supplier to this industry, we are committed to help companies move into more sustainable solutions while ensuring they get the supply. Filtrona will continue to invest in our equipment and technology as we continue our research in alternative materials. Together with our partners and suppliers, we are ready to help our customers make the transition to plastic-free filter solutions. We have expanded our portfolio by adding Greenbutts filters to our ECO Range portfolio, thus providing a wider array of tailor-made solutions to address specific customer requirements in certain territories/markets.”

    According to Pye, Filtrona alone can currently not meet the volumes required for sustainable filter conversion. “Filtrona currently works with various suppliers to select the most appropriate materials to create sustainable filter solutions that meet the unique requirements of our customers. We are constantly scouting the market for new, innovative materials. To give our customers wider options, we will offer Greenbutts filters that can be customized according to various product specifications.”

    Under the joint development agreement, Filtrona will lease a machine from Greenbutts to produce biodegradable filters using proprietary technology. The company aimed to have the machine at its site in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, by the end of February and begin production shortly thereafter.

    The U.S. has been chosen as a location because the state of New York recently reintroduced the Tobacco Product Waste Reduction Act to the State Senate. The act would prohibit the sale of cigarettes using single-use filters as well as ban the sale of single-use electronic cigarettes. “With New York having proposed a law that would ban the sale of single-use filtered cigarettes and single-use e-cigarettes, we believe North America will eventually follow the EU in implementing the SUPD and EPR in the future,” Pye says. “We want to be ahead of the curve while expanding our capabilities to make our ECO Range available globally.”

    Greenbutts has developed a patented substrate made of all-natural, food grade fibers. Photo: Greenbutts

    Significant Market Potential

    For the time being, biodegradable filters remain more expensive than CA varieties, but this may change as output increases. “Globally, consumers and regulators are pushing for more environmentally sustainable solutions and biodegradable products,” says Pye.

    “Consumers are increasingly seeking sustainable products while tobacco companies want to be compliant to regulations by reducing the use of single-use plastics and be the first to market sustainable, plastic-free products. But having said that, pricing is still an important factor and will be affected by the scale of production. As the production of biodegradable products grows, we expect prices to become more competitive.”

    Beyond the U.S. and Europe, Pye sees potential for environmentally friendly filter solutions in Indonesia, where Filtrona is already supporting the kretek cigarette market with its ECO Range of filter solutions. He also anticipates increasing demand for sustainable filters for heated-tobacco products (HTPs). “We offer a range of patented sustainable HTP filter solutions that has a carbon footprint that is four times lower when compared with a similar offering made with CA, in line with our commitment to develop more renewable, degradable and sustainable products,” says Pye. “We see it as a logical next step for the HTP category to evolve as the market continues to grow rapidly. Filtrona is also at the forefront of revolutionizing the botanicals sector with our sustainable and compliant ECO Range.”

    Stefanie Rossel is Tobacco Reporter’s editorial contributor. An experienced trade journalist, she combines sharp reporting skills with in-depth knowledge of the tobacco and vapor industries. Prior to joining Tobacco Reporter, Stefanie was editor-in-chief at Tobacco Journal International, where she worked for a decade. Fluent in English, German and French, Stefanie covers tobacco news around the world. She is based in Germany.