manufactured · input
Polyamide thin-film composite membranes on polysulfone support; DuPont FilmTec dominates with ~60% global market share; manufactured by interfacial polymerization; used in household RO systems, brackish water desalination, and municipal advanced treatment; critical for PFAS removal
7
Source countries
9
Companies
1
Goods affected
0
Claims on record
What depends on it
1 essential American goods rely on thin-film composite ro membranes (filmtec polyamide) somewhere upstream in their supply chain.
Where it comes from
Share of global supply, by country.
| Country | Share of supply |
|---|---|
| USUnited States | 27% |
| JPJapan | 22% |
| CNChina | 20% |
| KRSouth Korea | 13% |
| FRFrance | 4% |
| DEGermany | 3% |
| INIndia | 2% |
Who makes it
9 companies produce thin-film composite ro membranes (filmtec polyamide).
World's leading RO membrane manufacturer under the FilmTec® brand; acquired Filmtec Corporation (Minneapolis, MN) in 1985; the FilmTec FT30 membrane (1981 invention) enabled the modern spiral-wound RO industry; DuPont Water Solutions commands ~55-60% of global thin-film composite RO membrane market.
Leading global RO membrane maker; patented FilmTec TFC technology; services 10,000+ desalination/water reuse plants in 100+ countries
Toray Industries, Inc. (Tokyo; TSE: 3402; ~¥2.6T revenue) is Japan's largest synthetic fiber manufacturer and a major producer of SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) nonwoven fabrics for medical and hygiene applications. Toray's nonwovens business (Fibers & Textiles segment) produces meltblown and spunmelt fabrics at facilities in Japan, South Korea, China, and Southeast Asia. Toray's Eclat SMS fabric — a tri-layer structure with meltblown as the filtration core — is used in surgical gowns, drapes, and masks. Toray supplies SMS nonwoven to Kimberly-Clark, Mölnlycke Health Care, and major Asian mask manufacturers. Toray is also a major producer of polypropylene resin (feedstock for meltblown) through its petrochemicals affiliates, giving partial upstream integration.
South Korean chemical conglomerate (KRX: 051910, HQ Seoul); major producer of electronic-grade IPA for the semiconductor industry with strategic partnerships with major tech manufacturers. LG Chem supplies IPA to Asian semiconductor fabs and has significant presence in the Korean and broader Asian electronic chemicals market. Same company that is the world's #2 EV battery maker (LG Energy Solution is a spin-off) — LG Chem bridges the semiconductor chemicals market and the EV battery materials market. Also produces NMC cathode active materials for batteries, ABS resins, and engineering plastics.
California-based subsidiary of Nitto Denko (Japan); supplied Sorek 2 Israel (worlds largest desalination plant); four major seawater desalination markets globally
Chinas largest RO membrane producer; 45% share of Chinas industrial RO market; 30M sqm/yr capacity; emerged from Chinese Academy of Sciences research
Part of Koch Industries; Wilmington MA and San Diego CA facilities; expanded 2008 with 2x capacity increase; industrial and municipal water markets
French water technology company; RO membrane production in Minnesota USA, Bitterfeld Germany, and Bangalore India; acquired LANXESS RO portfolio
Japanese membrane manufacturer; hollow fiber RO membranes; global presence in water treatment applications
