The Filterbox, a mobile dust- and fume-extraction and filtration system used for at-source extraction, has been intro- duced onto the South African market by industrial products supplier Dowson & Dobson.

The system, manufactured by Swedish industrial air and filtration company Nederman, captures dust and fumes close to where they originate.

The system provides significant health benefits in the workplace, such as reduced sick leave, increased wellbeing of employees, an improved company image and increased productivity.

As most companies are becoming increas- ingly concerned about the health of their workers, the Filterbox system is a suitable product, as it uses at-source extraction, which removes fumes or dust immediately.

Dowson & Dobson national sales man- ager Herman Parsons says, as workers’ health improve, so do companies’ images, as healthy workers result in increased productivity.

He adds that the new Filterbox, launched in South Africa in February, is a third-generation design and is more compact and easy to use than before.

It is equipped with wheels, making it portable in workshops.

The system comprises a box section, which contains a filter cartridge and a centrifugal fan. An extraction arm sucks up the dust-filled air and the fan pulls it through a cartridge, which entraps the dust particles, allowing clean air to be expelled into the atmosphere.

The cleaning mechanism inside the Filterbox system comprises a motor that rotates the cartridge to clean it mechanically and compressed air pulses assist the cleaning process, while a dust container, located at the bottom of the unit, collects the dust.

“Filterbox has been successful in the extraction of welding fumes and its mobile design enables welders to use it anywhere in the workshop. “It has also been successfully used in animal-feed mixing and bagging and in a flour dust application at a bakery,” Parsons says.

The body of the modular Filterbox system is moulded with engineered plastic and it incorporates a user-friendly control panel. It is easy to maintain owing to the system’s self-cleaning feature, and additional accessories, such as a high efficiency particle-arrestor filter, which can be used as a second filter for even cleaner air, can also be easily installed.

“We hope to have more success with Filterbox in South Africa, owing to its new capabilities. “The unit is much more cost effective as it is more affordable and, as a result, a good product to put onto the market,” Parsons says.

Meanwhile, Dowson & Dobson director Terry O’Kelly notes that Nederman products and solutions contribute to reduced environmental impacts owing to industrial production, and they create safe and clean working environments while boosting production efficiency.

He adds that, for more than 60 years, Nederman has developed products and solutions to reduce the strain on the environment and protect people from harmful particles, fibres, dust, gas, smoke and oil mist.

Dowson & Dobson distributes a comprehensive range of Nederman products across South Africa, including various filters, vacuum systems, centrifugal fans, cyclones, exhaust extractors, extraction arms, materials handling and separation units, mobile fume and dust extractors, retractable reels and sandblasting equipment, as well as extensive design and supply capabilities for explosion risk areas.

The product range is suited to numerous local industries, ranging from automotive, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, welding and boiler making to general industry.

“Nederman’s eco-efficiency sets it apart from its competitors. All Nederman solutions combine care for the environment and employee health with improved work efficiency and production economy, making its products environmentally and economically efficient.

“This provides numerous benefits for the end-user, including a clean and safe working environment, less air pollution, lower environmental fees, compliance with laws and regulations, more effective production, economical management of resources and waste and improved production uptime and energy use,” O’Kelly says.

He is confident that Dowson & Dobson can obtain measurable market share through the Neder-man range in future

is optimistic that, as industries become increasingly conscious of their employees’ wellbeing and their impact on the environment, the Nederman range of products will serve as the ideal choice moving forward.