Clarcor
Clarcor was a United States manufacturer of filtration systems and packaging materials that was acquired by Parker Hannifin in 2017.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Clarcor, formally CLARCOR Inc., was a United States industrial manufacturer specializing primarily in filtration systems. The company traced its origins to 1904, when John Lewis Clark founded J.L. Clark Manufacturing Co. in Rockford, Illinois. Although the business initially operated under the J.L. Clark name and later developed a packaging operation, its corporate identity became closely associated with engineered filtration products for transportation, power generation, industrial processing, environmental control, and other specialized applications. By the time of its acquisition, Clarcor operated from Franklin, Tennessee, and had approximately 30 manufacturing and distribution sites in the United States. Its business was organized mainly around two areas. Engine/Mobile Filtration supplied air, fuel, transmission-fluid, and hydraulic-fluid filters for engines and equipment used in stationary power generation, transportation, construction, agriculture, and other mobile or industrial applications. The division also supplied dust-collection cartridges and related products. Industrial/Environmental Filtration served industrial and commercial processes, infrastructure, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and other environments requiring controlled air or liquid filtration. Its offerings included industrial process filters, air cleaners, antimicrobial-treated filters, and engineered filtration media. Clarcor expanded substantially through acquisitions. In 1999 it purchased Purolator Products Air Filtration Company, Facet International, and Purolator-Facet Filter Products from Mark IV, adding established industrial filtration operations. Subsequent acquisitions broadened its capabilities in woven-wire screening, sintered porous metals, engineered filtration, aviation filtration, filtration media, natural-gas filtration, and advanced air-filtration products. The company also acquired businesses and product lines from Bekaert and General Electric in 2013, including the BHA and ALTAIR air-filtration product lines. The company also divested non-core activities. In 2015 it sold its J.L. Clark packaging subsidiary to CC Industries. This transaction reflected Clarcor's increasing concentration on filtration rather than packaging. In December 2016, Parker Hannifin announced a definitive agreement to acquire Clarcor in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion. The acquisition closed on February 28, 2017, ending Clarcor's existence as an independent company and incorporating its filtration businesses into Parker Hannifin's operations. Clarcor is therefore best understood as a historical industrial filtration company rather than an active standalone consumer brand.
History
Clarcor began in 1904 in Rockford, Illinois, as J.L. Clark Manufacturing Co., founded by John Lewis Clark. The company eventually developed two connected but distinct business capabilities: packaging and industrial filtration. Over time, filtration became the more strategically important part of the enterprise, leading to the Clarcor corporate identity and a broad portfolio of filtration businesses. A major phase of expansion began in 1999, when Clarcor acquired Purolator Products Air Filtration Company, Facet International, and Purolator-Facet Filter Products from Mark IV. These businesses strengthened Clarcor's position in industrial filtration and provided platforms for additional specialization. In 2005, Clarcor added Niagara Screen Products, a manufacturer of woven-wire and metallic screening products, and Martin Kurz & Co., which produced sintered porous-metal laminates used in filtration and screening. In 2007, it acquired Perry Equipment Corporation and combined the business with Clarcor's Facet operations, broadening its engineered-filtration offering. Clarcor continued to build specialized capabilities through the late 2000s and early 2010s. The 2008 acquisition of Keddeg Company added aviation filtration. TransWeb, acquired in 2011, supplied filtration media. In 2012, Modular Engineering Pty Ltd. joined the PECOFacet division and contributed natural-gas filtration products. In 2013, Clarcor acquired Bekaert Advanced Filtration and the air-filtration business of General Electric's Power & Water division. Those transactions added further air-filtration technology and the BHA and ALTAIR product lines. The company operated primarily through Engine/Mobile Filtration and Industrial/Environmental Filtration. The first supplied filters for engines and equipment, including air, fuel, transmission, and hydraulic-fluid applications, as well as dust-collection cartridges. The second served industrial and commercial processes, infrastructure, pharmaceutical production, and environmental applications with products such as process filters, air cleaners, and antimicrobial-treated filters. Clarcor maintained approximately 30 manufacturing and distribution sites in the United States and was headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. Clarcor also narrowed its business scope. In June 2015, it sold the J.L. Clark packaging subsidiary to CC Industries. The sale separated the packaging operation from the filtration-centered business and represented a clearer strategic focus on engineered filtration. In December 2016, Parker Hannifin announced an agreement to acquire Clarcor for approximately $4.3 billion in cash. The transaction was completed on February 28, 2017. Following completion, Clarcor ceased to operate as an independent company, and its businesses became part of Parker Hannifin. As a result, Clarcor is now principally a historical corporate identity and an acquired industrial-filtration portfolio rather than a standalone active corporation.
- 2017
Acquisition by Parker Hannifin completed
[1]Parker Hannifin completed its acquisition of Clarcor on February 28, ending Clarcor's independent corporate existence.
- 2015
J.L. Clark packaging divestiture
[1]Clarcor sold its J.L. Clark packaging subsidiary to CC Industries.
- 2013
Bekaert and GE filtration acquisitions
[1]Clarcor acquired Bekaert Advanced Filtration and General Electric's Power & Water air-filtration business, including BHA and ALTAIR products.
- 2012
Modular Engineering acquisition
[1]Clarcor acquired Modular Engineering Pty Ltd. for its natural-gas filtration products.
- 2011
TransWeb acquisition
[1]Clarcor acquired TransWeb, a supplier of filtration media.
- 2008
Aviation filtration expansion
[1]Keddeg Company was acquired and placed within Clarcor's Purolator Advanced Filtration Group.
- 2007
Perry Equipment acquisition
[1]Clarcor acquired Perry Equipment Corporation and integrated it with Facet operations.
- 2005
Expansion into screening and porous-metal media
[1]Clarcor completed acquisitions of Niagara Screen Products and Martin Kurz & Co., adding woven-wire, metallic-screen, and sintered porous-metal capabilities.
- 1999
Purolator-related filtration acquisitions
[1]Clarcor acquired three filtration businesses from Mark IV: Purolator Products Air Filtration Company, Facet International, and Purolator-Facet Filter Products.
- 1904
J.L. Clark Manufacturing Co. is founded
[1]John Lewis Clark founded the company in Rockford, Illinois, establishing the business that later became associated with Clarcor.
Products and positioning
Clarcor positioned itself as a diversified engineered-filtration supplier serving mobile equipment, power generation, industrial processing, environmental control, aviation, natural-gas infrastructure, and pharmaceutical applications. Its portfolio emphasized technical filtration performance and specialized media rather than consumer-facing branding.
Filtration systems
Engine/Mobile Filtration
This business supplied filtration products for engines and equipment used in stationary power generation, transportation, agriculture, construction, and other mobile or industrial applications. Its portfolio included air, fuel, transmission-fluid, and hydraulic-fluid filters, together with dust-collection cartridges. The products were designed for equipment and operating environments where contaminant control supports engine reliability and fluid-system performance.
Industrial filtration
Industrial/Environmental Filtration
The Industrial/Environmental Filtration segment served industrial and commercial processes, infrastructure, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and related controlled environments. Its products included filters for industrial processes, air cleaners, and antimicrobial-treated filters. The segment brought together filtration technologies intended for air-quality management, process control, and specialized operating conditions rather than ordinary household use.
Advanced filtration
Purolator Advanced Filtration
Purolator Advanced Filtration was a Clarcor group that incorporated specialized filtration activities, including aviation filtration and porous-metal or screening technologies obtained through acquisitions. The group formed part of Clarcor's broader industrial and environmental filtration portfolio.
Engineered filtration
PECOFacet
PECOFacet represented Clarcor's engineered-filtration activities, including products for natural-gas filtration and other specialized industrial applications. The division incorporated the acquired Modular Engineering business and drew on Clarcor's Facet and PECO capabilities.
Air filtration
BHA and ALTAIR
BHA and ALTAIR were air-filtration product lines added to Clarcor through its 2013 acquisition of General Electric's Power & Water air-filtration business. They expanded Clarcor's offering for industrial air-filtration and related power-sector applications.
Packaging
J.L. Clark packaging
J.L. Clark was Clarcor's packaging subsidiary and represented the company's historical packaging activity. Clarcor sold the subsidiary to CC Industries in 2015 as part of its increasing concentration on filtration.
Brand decisions
2016
Agreement to be acquired by Parker HannifinM&ABackground
Clarcor had assembled a broad portfolio of engine, mobile, industrial, environmental, aviation, natural-gas, and air-filtration businesses through organic development and acquisitions.
Action taken
Parker Hannifin entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Clarcor for approximately $4.3 billion in cash.
Aftermath
The transaction closed on February 28, 2017, and Clarcor ceased operating as an independent company.
announced transaction value. $4.3 billion (December 2016 announcement)
2015
Divestiture of J.L. Clark packaging operationsStrategyBackground
Clarcor operated both filtration and packaging businesses, but its acquisition program and operating structure increasingly centered on specialized filtration.
Action taken
The company sold its J.L. Clark packaging subsidiary to CC Industries.
Aftermath
The divestiture left Clarcor more concentrated on filtration systems and related industrial technologies until its later acquisition by Parker Hannifin.
Recent events
- 2017
Parker Hannifin completes Clarcor acquisition[1]
M&A
The acquisition closed on February 28, 2017, ending Clarcor's operation as an independent company.
- 2016
Parker Hannifin agrees to acquire Clarcor[1]
M&A
Parker Hannifin entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Clarcor in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion.
- 2015
Clarcor sells J.L. Clark packaging subsidiary[1]
M&A
Clarcor sold its packaging subsidiary, J.L. Clark, to Chicago-based CC Industries, reinforcing its focus on filtration.
- 2013
Clarcor expands air-filtration portfolio through two acquisitions[1]
M&A
Clarcor acquired Bekaert Advanced Filtration and the air-filtration business of General Electric's Power & Water division, adding BHA and ALTAIR products.
- 2012
Clarcor acquires Modular Engineering[1]
M&A
Clarcor acquired Modular Engineering Pty Ltd., adding natural-gas filtration capabilities to its PECOFacet division.
- 2011
Clarcor acquires TransWeb[1]
M&A
The company acquired TransWeb, a supplier of filtration media.
- 2008
Clarcor acquires Keddeg Company[1]
M&A
Clarcor acquired Keddeg Company, a producer of aviation-filtration products that became part of its Purolator Advanced Filtration Group.
- 2007
Clarcor acquires Perry Equipment Corporation[1]
M&A
The acquisition of Perry Equipment Corporation expanded Clarcor's engineered-filtration capabilities and was combined with Clarcor's Facet operations.
- 2005
Clarcor completes acquisition of Niagara Screen Products[1]
M&A
The company acquired Niagara Screen Products Limited, a manufacturer of woven-wire and metallic screening and filtration products.
- 2005
Clarcor completes acquisition of Martin Kurz & Co.[1]
M&A
Clarcor added Martin Kurz & Co., a producer of sintered porous-metal laminates used in screening and filtration applications.
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