The automotive industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity in honeycomb ceramic filters is driven by stringent emission regulations, growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, advancements in engine technology, and diesel-powered vehicles, and the growing importance of technologies such as wall-thinned honeycomb ceramic filters with enhanced filtration efficiency, graded honeycomb ceramic filters with tailored pore sizes, functionally graded honeycomb ceramic filters with integrated catalysts, and self-regenerating honeycomb ceramic filters with soot-burning capabilities. In the last three years alone, there have been over 720,000 patents filed and granted in the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Advanced materials in automotive: honeycomb ceramic filters. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over one million patents to analyze innovation intensity for the automotive industry, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Honeycomb ceramic filters is a key innovation area in advanced materials
Honeycomb ceramic filters are structured with an array of open straight channels through a ceramic body, providing a high surface area-to-volume ratio and a low resistance to fluid flow. These filters are widely used for filtration, purification, and catalysis in various applications.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 20+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established automotive companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of honeycomb ceramic filters.
Key players in honeycomb ceramic filters – a disruptive innovation in the automotive industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to honeycomb ceramic filters
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Parjointco | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Proterial | 113 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SGD | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sokensha | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Corning | 63 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Umicore | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IBIDEN | 133 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honda Motor | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kyocera | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie de Saint-Gobain | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Porsche Automobil | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sumitomo Chemical | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Denso | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Johnson Matthey | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NGK Insulators | 430 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Soken | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Advanced Technology Emission Solutions | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dow | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MANN+HUMMEL International | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mcalister Technologies | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Japanese company NGK Insulators is one of the leading patent filers in honeycomb ceramic filters for the automotive industry. Honeycomb ceramic filters are essential for reducing emissions from vehicles and are used in various applications such as automotive exhaust systems and industrial gas filtration systems. NGK’s patents and commercialization efforts in this space contribute to a positive impact on the environment and human health. Some of the other key patent filers are IBIDEN and Corning.
In terms of application diversity, Johnson Matthey leads the pack, while Umicore and Bain Capital stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Johnson Matthey held the top position, followed by Umicore and Bain Capital.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the automotive industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Automotive.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
