As a global leader in portable industrial fume and dust extraction, BOFA (as it was originally known) found a natural home for its innovative technology when it was acquired by Donaldson Company Inc in 2018.
Within the Donaldson family, the business, which recently adopted the Donaldson BOFA brand, gained access to unique global scientific and research and development resources in industrial filtration and new market opportunities around the world.
What makes the relationship so strong is not just synergy in terms of technology but the fact that each business operates and leads in similar sectors, but with a different segment focus. Whereas Donaldson BOFA focuses on portable systems for close-to-source emissions filtration, Donaldson Company Inc is renowned for larger scale, fixed location centralised solutions.
Both businesses benefit from a rich heritage of innovation and market leadership.
Donaldson BOFA’s origins go back 1987, when an engineer by the name of Dave Cornell demonstrated that removing airborne contaminants associated with industrial processes not only improved human health, it also had the potential to significantly improve workplace productivity – a ‘win-win’ outcome that quickly attracted the attention of employers.
The company rode the growth curve to become a global leader.
The Donaldson Company, Inc. story dates from 1915, when Frank Donaldson Sr., a young salesman for Bull Tractor Company, solved a problem for a customer whose tractor kept breaking down. Frank hand-fashioned a simple air cleaner to protect the engine, an invention that laid the foundation for what would become Donaldson Company, Inc.
During its first decade, Donaldson made significant strides by acquiring the Wilcox-Bennet air filter license. The 1930s brought expansion when the company launched a tractor performance-enhancing filter, prompting a wider market reach. In 1945, the company expanded internationally for the first time with an operation in Canada, followed in the 1960s with subsidiaries, licensees and/or joint ventures in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Japan and South Africa.
In 1974, Donaldson and Torit® merged, giving Donaldson a significant market presence in the industrial air filtration industry.
Across subsequent decades, Donaldson continued to innovate and expand. By the time the company celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2015, it had grown into a global leader in filtration technology, serving multiple industries. The company’s commitment to innovation is reflected in more than 2,800 active patents and significant investments in ongoing R&D.
Today, Donaldson Company continues to build on its legacy of innovation and excellence. From humble beginnings, the business has grown into a multinational corporation that plays a crucial role in numerous industries worldwide. It leads the world in solving complex filtration challenges and providing customers with reliable, high-quality solutions.
Together, Donaldson BOFA and Donaldson Company create a compelling offer for filtration across a broad range of industries and applications – food & beverage, electronics, education, printing, additive manufacturing, health and wellness, gifts & merchandise, FMCG, and more.
Both are also at the leading edge of today’s digital revolution, with Donaldson BOFA launching the world-first Intelligent Operating (iQ) platform, capable of remote system monitoring and data downloads, and Donaldson Company developing the iCue™ Connected Filtration Service to monitor industrial dust collectors and send real-time data and alerts to facility managers.
And it’s not just customer emissions that Donaldson is focused on. The company is also committed to helping mitigate climate change, targeting an absolute reduction of its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 42% by the end of fiscal year 2030 from a 2021 baseline. This ambition, along with the execution roadmap, is science-based and aligns with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.5°C global warming scenario.
Donaldson also supports the communities within which it operates, aiming to increase charitable giving through the Donaldson Foundation by 25% every four years – donating cumulatively at least $13.5 million from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2030 – with a particular focus on educational needs.
All this creates a compelling narrative around filtration innovation and market success – and points to an even more exciting story in the years to come.