Mann+Hummel Cuts Costs and Boosts Efficiency with ELGi’s compressed air system – saving over $160,000 and 2 million kWh annually
10 Apr 2025
The leading manufacturer of filtration systems for numerous industries replaced an aging system that was causing 20+ air-related downtime incidents per day, product damage, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in delays and wasted resources.
Mann+Hummel is one of the world’s premier providers of filtration systems, serving numerous industries that include automotive, agriculture, construction, data centers, energy, food and beverage, and many more.
The company relied heavily on compressed air and clean water in its manufacturing processes, and an outdated and often faulty air compression system led to more than 20 air-related downtime incidents per day and 30 gallons of contaminated water per hour. This cost the company more than $160,000 each year, leading to delays, wasted resources, and increased supply chain backlogs.
“When an air system fails, it doesn’t just stop production — it causes ripples across the supply chain, delaying product shipments, increasing maintenance costs, and ultimately impacting customer operations,” said Steven Owens, Senior Manager, Manufacturing Engineering, Mann+Hummel .
Mann+Hummel partnered with Pattons to replace the system with ELGI air compressors and dryers. Pattons worked diligently to design a system that would uniquely cater to the company’s manufacturing plant. The implementation took 12 weeks, during which Pattons provided rental compressors, saving Mann+Hummel $500,000.
It chose five ELGi EG-160 rotary screw air compressors — three fixed-speed to maintain a stable baseline air supply and two Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) to adjust output on demand and conserve energy. Three ELGi AR-2350 high-performance air dryers were installed to remove excess moisture, minimize equipment damage, and prevent pressure fluctuations. A Smart Control System was implemented to automate compressor operation and optimize energy use, and Airmate Air Receiver wet and dry tanks were installed to normalize moisture levels.
The results were immediate:
“It was like we had a brand-new plant,” Steven said. “Before the upgrade, we were constantly reacting to air pressure drops, low flow rates, and moisture contamination. Every day, production would stall, maintenance teams would scramble to fix issues, and we were losing money with every minute of downtime. Once the new system came online, it was like flipping a switch — suddenly, everything just worked. For the first time in years, we had stable, reliable compressed air across the entire plant.”
Product quality, supply chain efficiency
The radically improved air compression system also improved Mann+Hummel’s product quality. Before the overhaul, up to 30 gallons of water was infiltrating the air system per hour, damaging seals, cylinders and pneumatic tools, leading to misaligned and inconsistent product assembly. Filtration components go through compressed air-driven integrity tests, and fluctuating pressure led to false failures and undetected leaks. Products were failing quality standard checks and had to be remade or scrapped.
“We had clogged systems, defective filters, and increased quality complaints. Our products weren’t meeting the standards we needed,” Stevens explained. “After the upgrade, those issues disappeared. We finally had consistent air quality, and that translated into a more consistent, higher-quality product.”
With manufacturing efficiencies and product quality improvements, the company was able to increase production and clear its backlogs. Coming out of COVID-19, Mann+Hummel had a severe backlog, with 6 million units behind schedule. After overhauling the air compression system, the company was able to steadily clear the decks.
“For a lot of customers, filtration products are mission critical. Delays can significantly affect automotive, industrial, and energy operations,” Stevens said. “Keeping our equipment running consistently was the key to clearing the backlog, and the air compression overhaul made it possible. It’s hard to overstate how big of a change this was — it didn’t just improve efficiency, it completely transformed how we operate.”
Energy rebate
Pattons also helped Mann+Hummel take advantage of a rebate program offered by the regional energy utility, Duke Energy. It handled much of the work to verify and technically validate the new working system to ensure energy improvements were properly documented and verified. This included compressor performance, energy load reductions, and heat recovery analysis, among other tasks.
The process involved several meetings among Pattons, Mann+Hummel and an outside engineering firm. After all of the data collection and rebate negotiations, Mann+Hummel was awarded a $300,000 rebate from Duke Energy.
“We didn’t just take the easy route and accept the flat rebate. We really got into the details, making sure every bit of savings was captured. In the end, we squeezed everything we could out of this project, and it paid off,” said Trey Carter, Systems Specialist, Pattons .
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About ELGi North America
ELGi North America , headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is a subsidiary of ELGi Equipments Limited, a leader in compressed air solutions for over 60 years. Established in 2012, ELGi North America, in conjunction with its subsidiaries, Pattons, Pattons Medical, and Michigan Air Solutions, offers a comprehensive range of compressed air products and services. Our product offering includes oil-lubricated and oil-free rotary screw and reciprocating compressors, dryers, filters, and ancillary accessories. ELGi and its subsidiaries serve multiple industry verticals spanning medical applications, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure. For further information, please visit https://www.elgi.com/us/
ELGi Compressors USA, Inc
About Pattons
Patton’s Inc. (Pattons), a distributor of industrial compressed air systems and full line service provider was established in 1945, is now owned and operated by ELGi North America, a global industrial air compressor manufacturer. Pattons has seven branches across Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia providing a full line of reciprocating, scroll, and rotary screw air compressors, vacuum systems, and air system accessories such as dryers, filters, piping, and condensate management systems. Pattons services include preventative maintenance programs, emergency breakdown services, and full system auditing capabilities. For information on Pattons product offering and services, visit www.pattonsinc.com
