Frost & Sullivan has honored Kimberly-Clark with the 2010 North America Frost & Sullivan Product Leadership of the Year Award. As endusers become increasingly aware about the importance of indoor air quality, there has been a rise in the demand for high-efficiency filter media in HVAC filters. Kimberly-Clark has responded quickly to this opportunity by introducing a new line of high-efficiency media for HVAC air filters. Frost & Sullivan cites that while most competing filter media loses efficiency over time, Kimberly-Clark's filter media offers high particle capture efficiency all through the life of the air filter.

The company's unique non-woven media is designed to combine the advantages of a mechanical structure and an enhanced charge to provide optimum efficiency. To further ensure unparalleled efficiency, Kimberly-Clark's media consists of a mix of fiber diameters in a gradient density structure, with loosely-packed fibers on the upstream side and densely-packed fibers on the downstream side.

"Over the past few years, providing filter media that fulfills end-user requirements in terms of efficiency and application flexibility has become essential," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Alejandra Lozano. "Kimberly-Clark has designed its new filter media to maintain a low airflow resistance, understanding the importance of providing filter media that not only delivers the highest levels of indoor air quality and sustains high-efficiency over the filter lifecycle, but also enables end users to reduce their energy costs."

"Kimberly-Clark also ensures the highest quality by using ISO-certified equipment to manufacture its media, and by establishing clear and careful procedures for managing its manufacturing processes," notes Lozano. "In addition, its background in the personal products market has enabled the company to improve the overall quality of its media."

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in new product development and launch within its industry. The recipient company has shown innovation by introducing a broad line of products and technologies.

Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.