Global filtration leader Mann+Hummel has revamped its manufacturing operations by upgrading its compressed air infrastructure with help from Pattons Inc, the U.S. arm of Elgi Equipments Limited. The overhaul has delivered impressive results — saving the company over $160,000 in annual costs and reducing energy consumption by more than 2 million kilowatt-hours.
The project replaced an outdated, failure-prone system that had long disrupted operations at Mann+Hummel’s plant. Frequent pressure drops and water contamination were not only driving up costs but also compromising product quality and causing daily downtime.
“Our old system was a constant source of trouble,” said Steven Owens, Senior Manager of Manufacturing Engineering at Mann+Hummel. “We were dealing with more than 20 air-related shutdowns every day and losing 30 gallons of water an hour due to contamination. The result was costly delays and strained supply chains.”
Working closely with Pattons, Mann+Hummel selected five ELGi EG-160 rotary screw air compressors, including three fixed-speed units for base load operations and two variable frequency drive (VFD) units to adjust air flow as needed. The setup also included three high-performance ELGi air dryers and automated smart controls to ensure reliable air pressure, moisture control, and energy savings.
To maintain consistent air quality, Airmate receiver tanks were added for both wet and dry storage. During the 12-week installation, temporary rental units provided by Pattons helped Mann+Hummel avoid production delays — saving them an additional $500,000 in lost output.
Before the upgrade, moisture in the compressed air system caused extensive wear on pneumatic tools, led to misaligned product assembly, and interfered with product testing processes. Faulty airflow also caused false test failures and undetected leaks in filtration components, resulting in more rework and customer complaints.
“All of those problems vanished after the new system came online,” Owens said. “For the first time in years, our production ran smoothly. Our team wasn’t constantly reacting to equipment failures, and our product quality went up immediately.”
Like many manufacturers, Mann+Hummel struggled with supply chain disruptions during and after the pandemic. At one point, the company faced a backlog of more than 6 million units. With consistent air quality and system uptime restored, they were finally able to ramp up production and start closing the gap. “Filtration products are often critical to our customers’ operations,” said Owens. “Fixing our compressed air system helped us stay on schedule and deliver what they needed.”
Elgi Equipments Limited is a globally recognized manufacturer of air compressors, known for its wide range of advanced and energy-efficient compressed air solutions. With a focus on enhancing customer productivity and reducing total cost of ownership, ELGi delivers a full spectrum of compressed air systems tailored for performance and sustainability.
Its product lineup includes oil-lubricated and oil-free rotary screw compressors, oil-lubricated and oil-free reciprocating compressors, centrifugal compressors, dryers, filters, accessories, and IoT-enabled remote monitoring solutions. With over 400 products in its portfolio, ELGi serves diverse industrial applications around the world.
Pattons Inc, a leading distributor and service provider for industrial compressed air systems, was founded in 1945 and now operates under ELGi North America. With seven locations across Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, Pattons offers a comprehensive range of equipment including reciprocating, scroll, and rotary screw air compressors, vacuum systems, and air system accessories like filters, dryers, piping, and condensate management solutions. In addition to equipment sales, Pattons provides extensive support services, including preventative maintenance programs and emergency repair solutions to ensure reliable and uninterrupted operations for its customers.
