Founded in Johannesburg in 1984 under the name Valve & Allied, Superior Filtration is an original equipment manufacturer with filters installed in over 40 countries worldwide.

“From Peru to Bulgaria, our business increasingly comes from outside South Africa. This is because of our concerted effort to expand our footprint – underpinned by our uniquely designed water filters, our 40+ year track record and our commitment to excellent service. Engineers with experience with our products often introduce them to new workplaces when they move to different companies and countries,” states Peter Walker, the founder of Superior Filtration.

Walker is passionate about the water sector and finds it a privilege to have travelled the world due to filters.

“Water is the most important industry in the world. Everything needs water. In South Africa, water requires our attention as it is central to the well-being of its citizens and the economy. I have met design and project engineers and end users across a range of industries and applications. These experiences broadened my perspective and allowed me to incorporate new insights into our product development. It is interesting and fulfilling work. Typically, filtration is a small yet critical component of a plant. A malfunction can have devastating financial and reputational consequences.”

As an original equipment manufacturer, Superior Filtration develops, designs, manufactures and markets equipment for removing suspended solids from water. The bulk of their manufacturing occurs in Gauteng, and occasionally, they use fabricators in the United Kingdom, particularly for the oil and gas industry.

Albert Bam, a director at Superior Filtration, emphasises the company’s commitment to finding the simplest, effective, efficient solutions for removing suspended solids from water.

“When designing products, Superior Filtration prioritises simplicity and durability. We build robust filters suitable for tough industrial and municipal applications, have low operating costs and require minimal maintenance.”

Superior Filtration supplies products to the industrial process water, mining, mineral processing, petrochemicals, potable water and wastewater, oil and gas, and food and beverage sectors. Durability is a top priority in these industries. Superior Filtration’s products prove their mettle through minimising downtime for breakdowns and maintenance.

Stand out products

The company designs and manufactures products with purpose-built automation innovations designed to require low-to-no management or maintenance. The team has seen a massive uptake in two of the products.

“We are particularly proud of our AGF – Autonomous Gravity Sand Filter. This is an autonomous, mechanical, rapid gravity sand filter. It is a polishing filter used to remove fine suspended solids from water. It requires no human intervention, external control system or electrical supply. The backwash cycle initiation occurs autonomously and is driven entirely by built-in hydraulic design features. This product can run for 30 years without anyone touching it,” says Walker.

Another product that excites the team and its potential customers is the Gravity Screen Filter (GraviFilter). The GraviFilter is a highly efficient, non-pressurised screen filter with an integral, continuous cleaning mechanism (self-cleaning). It removes suspended solids from water and effectively removes soft, fibrous and organic solids while operating efficiently in process systems with higher solids loads. GraviFilter offers extended flow intervals with limited operator intervention.

Bespoke Engineering

Some of our successes are in offering bespoke engineering across a range of products.

A recent project was to supply five large AGF filters to Angola. Transport costs would be high by road or sea, and logistics would be tricky. We redesigned each filter from a single cylinder into two halves, which we joined on-site. This innovative engineering, offered at no cost to the customer, reduced transport costs by 50%.

A project in Bulgaria required 4 x AGF double-decker filters – each 7.5m in diameter and 9m high. This requires on-site fabrication. Our engineers supplied a bespoke design with the bulk of the materials provided as “cut, rolled and prepared” plates – for easy loading in containers and supply to Bulgaria. We included detailed erection drawings and provided on-site engineering support during project initiation.

Fit for purpose

“Our products are not only uniquely designed and highly effective, but our true strength lies in our attention to detail. We take the time to fully understand each client’s process before making a recommendation. By investing significant time and effort, we specify the right filter for every project – maximising our clients’ efficiency, performance, and longevity. Our products must do the job at the lowest possible operating and maintenance cost. Furthermore, we stand by our products after the sale, giving additional technical support. In our mindset, the filter remains our property after the sale – we are that invested in long-term positive outcomes,” comments Walker.

The company also assists clients in their design layout and provides 3D drawings.

Superior Filtration may propose a trial installation to confirm a filter’s suitability in a difficult application. “We bridge the gap between available technology and the client’s needs and will spend significant time providing proof of concept. This includes taking clients to some of our active installations to see our filters in operation,” says Ndanganeni Mahangani, sales director and chemical engineer.

Mahangani adds that Superior Filtration stands firm on its need to supply simple and robust products. “We do not chase the latest trends. We decided to stick with our core products. We are more interested in optimising our products and bringing the best value to our customers. We have perfected the skill of designing and manufacturing filters.”

As filtration experts, Superior Filtration serves as a valuable technical resource for process engineers who must consider the entire process. “Our filters are a small but important part of that process. We understand the process and the function that our filters will be required to fulfil. Then we focus on ensuring our filters are fit-for-purpose and integrate seamlessly in that process”, concludes Bam.