AAF Geschichte

100 years is a remarkably long life, for a person or a company. Very few people live to see their 100th birthday, and most businesses fail to last 100 days in operation. Here in 2021, we proudly mark the occasion of the 100th anniversary of AAF.

Back in 1921, World War I was fresh in people’s minds, and the Industrial Revolution had transformed much of the world from an economy based on farming to one based on manufacturing. Engineer and entrepreneur Bill Reed painted automobiles in his workshop in Louisville, KY. Because he grew irritated with dust fouling his work, Reed inserted steel wool between two layers of chicken wire and into a wood frame, inventing what would become a game-changing air filter.

Discovering that his invention was popular not only in the automotive industry but other settings as well, Reed founded the Reed Air Filter Company. The company established its first offices and manufacturing plant on Central Avenue in 1924. Five years later, Reed merged his company with seven other manufacturers to form the American Air Filter Company, or AAF.

Please join us as we proudly look back through a century of air filtration innovations and into the future of clean air solutions for all the places you work, live, and play.

https://www.bringingcleanairtolife.com/en

Timeline

1921	Bill Reed founds Reed Air Filter Company and manufactures the first commercial air filter in Louisville, KY USA, the Reed Air Filter.
1924	Akira Yamada founds Osaka Kinzoku Kogyosho Limited Partnership, the company that would later become Daikin, in Osaka; company begins production of aircraft radiator tubes and other products.
1929	Reed Air Filter Company merges with seven leading air filter manufacturers to form American Air Filter Company Inc.
1932	Introduced the Type D RotoClone, a revolutionary breakthrough in dust control.
1935	Daikin succeeds in fluorocarbon synthesis, begins mass production in 1942. – how to make this clear?
1936	American Air Filter (AAF) introduces the first high-efficiency box‐style filter.
1941-1942	AAF expands production in Louisville, KY by opening 2 more plants.
1950	AAF introduces fiberglass replacement filters to the residential market.
1950	Flanders Filters founded by A.R. Allan, Jr. to supply filters to the Atomic Energy Commission.
1951	Daikin begins production of packaged air conditioners.
1950s	American Air Filter expands into Canada and Europe.
1953	AAF introduces Roll‐O‐Mat^®, the first automatic self‐renewable media filter.
1954	First reverse-jet dry fabric dust collector introduced.
1961	AAF introduces DriPak^®, the first bag‐style filter.
1963	AAF introduces VariCel^®, the first modern high‐efficiency box‐style filter.
1964	AAF introduces the AstroCel^® HEPA filter.
1964	Flanders becomes the first filtration company to also make their own HEPA media, leading to the first separator – less HEPA filter in 1968.
1965	AAF’s first gas turbine filtration installation.
1966-1968	AAF opens plants and begins manufacturing filters in Europe, Asian headquarters established later in 1970.
1969	NASA lunar module uses AAF filters in Apollo 11 mission to moon.
1969	Flanders develops the first fluid seal for HEPA filters and later developed the first silicone-based seal in 1986.
1970	AmerKleen line of diesel engine intake filters and housings developed.
1978	AAF introduces first V‐Bank HEPA filter.
1978	Flanders makes the first ULPA filter.
1979	Filtration systems provided for nuclear reactor accident at Three Mile Island.
1982	Daikin develops Japan’s first Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) system.
1988	AAF pioneers HEPA technology in gas turbines.
1989	AAF introduces VariCel^® II, the first high‐efficiency mini‐pleat 4″ deep filter.
1991	Daikin establishes Daikin America, Inc.
1993	Flanders supplies HEPA filters to the International Space Station.
1996	Flanders Filters expands into the retail market.
1997	First modular expandable baghouse. – P&I
1999	AAF begins development of PTFE filters with Daikin Industries.
2000	AAF introduces PerfectPleat^®, the first self‐supported pleated filter.
2002	AAF expands production in China.
2005	Expanded Gas-Phase product line.
2006	AAF becomes member of Daikin Group.
2009	AAF introduces MEGAcel^® I, first HEPA filter with ePTFE filtration technology.
2013	AAF introduces MEGApleat^® filter.
2014	AAF introduces VariCel^® 2+ filter with Impress^® Technology.
2015	AAF acquires and opens a network of service operations and warehouses across the US.
2016	AAF merges with Flanders to form AAF Flanders in U.S.
2016-2020	AAF introduces software and technology packages such as TCO Diagnostic^® , Sensor360^®, and VisionAir™ Clean – check on all technologies
2016	AAF opens Clean Air Innovation & Research Center in Jeffersonville, IN.
2016	AAF introduces REDClean Media^®, the advanced filtration technology product range that optimizes dust collector’s performance
2016	AAF Acquires Dinair Group AB to form one of the strongest networks within Europe’s filtration industry
2017	AAF introduces N-hance^® the world’s first E12 high velocity filter for gas turbines offshore
2017	AAF acquires RIS Facility Management GmbH, a leading provider of Indoor Air Quality services in Germany
2019	AAF expands its dust collection portfolio by launching new Plug&Play filtration units to meet the needs of different key industrial markets
2020	AAF develops study at CAC that demonstrates AAF filters are effective against coronavirus surrogate viruses.