The recent collocated IDEA® and FiltXPO gathered the best and the brightest in the nonwovens and filtration industries in Miami Beach.
TW Special Report
The Cary, N.C.-based Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) recently closed the doors on the 2025 editions of the IDEA® and FiltXPO™ trade shows that were held concurrently in Miami Beach at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Featuring a show floor with more than 650 exhibitors, conference sessions, training options and awards ceremonies, the event highlighted the best of the nonwovens and filtration industries.
“The energy and engagement at IDEA and FiltXPO were outstanding,” said INDA President and CEO Tony Fragnito. “Seeing thousands of global leaders and innovators converge in Miami Beach underscores the vital importance of face-to-face interactions not just for project updates and busi-ness development but also for dis-cussing industry challenges and opportunities. The quality of the atten-dees and the volume of business con-ducted are a powerful testament to the industry’s interconnected supply chains and vibrant global industry outlook.”
Networking, Learning
On the show floor, Lightning Talk presentations helped drive traffic to the booths. FiltXPO also hosted a poster session to showcase the latest research and technologies from 23 companies.
An evening reception at the end of the first day provided a chance to network and meet old friends as well as new people in the industry.
The two-day IDEA Sustainability in Nonwovens Conference brought global experts together to share perspectives on issues such as regulation, technology and product design. The FiltXPO Advances in Filtration Conference, produced in conjunction with the American Filtration and Separation Society, covered topics including circularity, indoor air quality, filtration media innovations and healthy buildings.
In addition, both shows hosted training options. IDEA offered its introduction to nonwovens and wet wipes course, as well as courses on baby and adult absorbent hygiene systems, and innovations in period products. A two-day Filter Media Training Course also was hosted on site for participants wanting to learn more about the world of filtration.
Over the three-day event, INDA also presented its IDEA Achievement Awards, FiltXPO Innovation, and IDEA Lifetime Achievement Award and INDA Lifetime Service Award (See sidebars).
“IDEA25 and FiltXPO 2025 truly exceeded expectations — not just in scale, but in substance,” said Dr. Matt O’Sickey, INDA’s director of Education & Technical Affairs. “The quality of discussions, the depth of innovation on display, and the spirit of collaboration was readily apparent. My favorite feed-back from an exhibitor, that was echoed by many, was that their week was packed with ‘get stuff done meetings.’ Expos like these, in conjunction with the in-depth technical conferences on filtration and sustainability in nonwovens, are an essential element of our industry.”
New Location For Next Edition Of IDEA
In a major move for IDEA —which has called Miami Beach home since 2001 save one edition — INDA announced that the next edition will be held in Kansas City, Mo. March 23-25, 2027. This date also marks a departure from its usual triennial timing to a new biennial schedule. The next FiltXPO will take place in Minneapolis, Minn., October 28-29, 2026.
IDEA®2025 Achievement Award Winners
In collaboration with Nonwovens Industry and International Filtration News magazines, awards were presented during IDEA and FiltXPO to outstanding innovations in nonwovens and filtration.
“The recipients of the IDEA and FiltXPO Awards exemplify the ingenuity and forward-thinking that drive our industries forward,” said Dr. Matt O’Sickey, INDA’s director of Education & Technical Affairs. “Their groundbreaking products are not only shaping the future of nonwovens and filtration — they are redefining what’s possible. These innovations remind us that progress is built on vision, persistence, and a commitment to solving the challenges of tomorrow.”
Recipients of the 2025 IDEA Achievement Awards:
- IDEA Equipment Achievement Award — Germany-based Dilo Systems GmbH for its MicroPunch technology
- IDEA Nonwoven Products Achievement Award — Germany-based Innovatec Microfibre Technology GmbH & Co. KG for its InnovaWipe® Water-Soluble Nonwoven
- IDEA Raw Materials Achievement Award — New Zealand-based Woolchemy NZ Ltd. for neweFibre
- IDEA Short-life Achievement Award — Somerville, Mass.-based Egal Pads Inc. for its Egal™ Pads on a Roll
- IDEA Long-life Achievement Award — Charlotte, N.C.-based Magnera Corp. for the Sontara® EcoRE Bag
- IDEA Sustainability Advancement Award — South Africa-based KINDCLOTH™ for the PURA HEALTH insect repellent water dissolvable wipes
- IDEA® Entrepreneur Award — Chicago-based Dude Products Inc.
The 2025 FiltXPO Innovation Award winners were:
- FiltXPO Air/Gas Filtration Award — Johnson City, Tenn.-based Greentech Environmental LLC for Greentech Filters with ODOGard®
- FiltXPO Water/Liquid Filtration Award — Finland-based Ahlstrom for BioProtect™ material
- FiltXPO Filtration Equipment Award — Miami-based Filtration Advice Inc. for its FA-TCO software
Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Lynda Kelly Receive Lifetime Awards
INDA presented its IDEA Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi and the INDA Lifetime Service Award to Lynda Kelly during an award ceremony in Miami Beach.
Dr. Pourdeyhimi is the executive director of The Nonwovens Institute at NC State in Raleigh, N.C. After earning a Ph.D. from the University of Leeds in England, he began his career in academia holding posts at NC State, Cornell University, The University of Maryland and the Georgia Institute of Technology. His storied career includes more than 600 research publications and three books, and more than 250 conference presentations.
Dr. Pourdeyhimi also holds 30 U.S. and 65 international patents. Long a proponent of nonwovens, his return to NC State was driven by the opportunity to join The Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center, which under his leadership eventually evolved into The Nonwovens Institute, an open-innovation model facility that leads research initiatives for nonwovens. Dr. Pourdeyhimi also serves at the William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor of Materials, associate dean in the Wilson College of Textiles and is an affiliated professor in the department of Biomedical Engineering at NC State.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award,” Dr. Pourdeyhimi noted. “My journey has always been about pushing the boundaries of knowledge, innovation, and collaboration in nonwovens. I’m grateful for the extraordinary colleagues, students, and industry partners who’ve shared this path and whose contributions have been essential to my achievements that are being recognized today.”
Retired since 2023, Kelly was most recently senior vice president, Americas & Business Development at Suominen Corp. She spent almost a decade with the company leading its Care team before overseeing the Americas sales division. Prior to Suominen, Kelly worked for Kendall/International Paper/BBA Nonwovens and First Quality Nonwovens.
Throughout her career, Kelly supported INDA initiatives and made lasting contributions to the nonwovens industry serving on the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) medical disposable standards committee, and INDA’s Board of Directors.
“I am truly humbled and honored to receive the INDA Lifetime Service Award,” Kelly said. “Growing up in this amazing industry has been a remarkable journey, working alongside so many incredible colleagues across the globe to develop and sell unique nonwoven product solutions and technologies. As an industry, we have achieved so much over the decades, and I am proud to have been part of its evolution. It has truly been an incredible experience!”
“Behnam and Lynda exemplify the best of our industry — visionary, committed, and generous with their talents,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA president & CEO. “It’s a privilege to recognize their continuing impact and celebrate their contributions with the community they helped shape.
2025 Quarterly Issue II
