Oil Filter Parent Companies?

[CR94]

Now you have 2 aftermarket oil filter companies essentially - M&H and First Brands, with whomever makes the microguard/ecoguard/Parts+ for OReilly/Federated/Same name coming up a distant third. ...
Unless some others decide they want to play. You have Denso, Mahle and Hengst that could probably play there if they wanted to.

... And other foreign manufacturers. For my car's cartridge application alone, I've seen Fram filters made in USA (seemingly by Fram itself), USA, (seemingly by Champ), China, and just lately, Argentina. Some US-branded filters come from Korea.

 

[OVERKILL]

What, no Fleetguard? LOL

 

[sjw91]

The M1s made by Champ didn't have the "A" suffix on the part number, the Mann ones do.

The A suffix showed up when they raised the mileage to 20k. I believe it was still Champ at the time.

 

[PimTac]

Don’t forget Highline Warren. They also manufacture filters. Prime Guard and Service Champ are two brands

 

[SC Maintenance]

The Pentius and Parts Plus (which is supposed to be the same as the Eco Gard the the microgard select - look extremely similar in build - albeit one is vietnam and one is Korea.

 

[Robvette]

I’ve added 2 more filters: Fram Titanium and Purolator One.

Question: what’s the best technique for cutting the filter media off of the center tube neatly like Whip City Wrencher does it?

 

[Bellavita]

Now you have 2 aftermarket oil filter companies essentially - M&H and First Brands, with whomever makes the microguard/ecoguard/Parts+ for OReilly/Federated/Same name coming up a distant third.


My guess is the fight for the private label business is forthcoming, or going on now. Once the two "bigs" get their manufacturing consolidated they will be looking for ways to make as many filters as possible. This was the reason Ford and GM helped bail out Chrysler in the 80's - they didn't want to compete head to head - margins go in the toilet.

Unless some others decide they want to play. You have Denso, Mahle and Hengst that could probably play there if they wanted to.

I hope M&H and First Brands reduces the clutter and eliminates the redundant brands and that have no real differentiation. It will eliminate a lot of waste and inefficiency in their factories and the consumer will get brands that have an actual brand meaning. The idea of putting different stickers and paint on an identical product is a misuse of "branding".

 

[DannyM]

Question: what’s the best technique for cutting the filter media off of the center tube neatly like Whip City Wrencher does it?

maybe this ?

 

[SC Maintenance]

The idea of putting different stickers and paint on an identical product is a misuse of "branding".

That is 100% the point of branding - to confuse the consumer - to either pay more for something because it has a better name on it, or to sell something cheaper to capture the "value" customer without devaluing there primary brand.

The fact it confuses everybody is proof its working. The marketing people will be happy to hear.

 

[Robvette]

maybe this ?

I have a nice filter can cutter - I’m wondering what the best way to cut the pleated filter media off of the center core is. Maybe a hack saw?

 

[PimTac]

That is 100% the point of branding - to confuse the consumer - to either pay more for something because it has a better name on it, or to sell something cheaper to capture the "value" customer without devaluing there primary brand.

The fact it confuses everybody is proof its working. The marketing people will be happy to hear.

Yep. That’s why many would pass on Chevy but buy a Buick. Perception is a big thing

 

[DannyM]

The Pentius and Parts Plus (which is supposed to be the same as the Eco Gard the the microgard select - look extremely similar in build - albeit one is vietnam and one is Korea.

View attachment 164725View attachment 164726

I used to think it was they were connected under the Premium Guard family but the more I look I think Pentius is made by an entirely different company.. you can see the base plates are very different but more importantly I saw in a conversation in youtube comments under one of these filter openings and one of the employees from Premium Guard's asian locations mentioned the Pentius was probably coming from "Dongwoo" filter... but Dongwoo actually got bought out by Mann Hummel in the late 2000's and is now apparently a joint operation because the name is combined as Mann Hummel-Dongwoo https://www.aftermarketnews.com/mann-hummel-finalizes-acquisition-of-korean-filter-specialist/

.... and here is one of Dongwoo's older product pages with the computer model of this typical style filter that we have been seeing with the large holes on inner tube and silicone outer gasket . http://www.bestmadeinkorea.com/product-32862/Machinery-Industrial-Parts-Tools/Oil-Filter.html

My best guess is Premium Guard is obviously responsible for many of the Pronto, Parts Plus, STP, Microgard models and then of course Ecogard but they literally show that on their about section of their website pgfilters.com .... The Pentius if I was to bet on it, is coming from Mann Hummel-Dongwoo Korea which is a continuation of Dongwoo filter Korea.

 

[DannyM]

I have a nice filter can cutter - I’m wondering what the best way to cut the pleated filter media off of the center core is. Maybe a hack saw?

ah ok.. sorry about that... not sure on specifically the media.. I was quickly thinking only about opening up a filter

 

[blufeb95]

I’ve added 2 more filters: Fram Titanium and Purolator One.

Question: what’s the best technique for cutting the filter media off of the center tube neatly like Whip City Wrencher does it?

 

[ZeeOSix]

The idea of putting different stickers and paint on an identical product is a misuse of "branding".

That happens all the time in the consumer world, not with just oil filters. Champion Labs will slap your own brand sticker on a filter they already make if you have enough money to do so.

 

[SC Maintenance]

View attachment 164753
I’ve added 2 more filters: Fram Titanium and Purolator One.

Question: what’s the best technique for cutting the filter media off of the center tube neatly like Whip City Wrencher does it?

I would add the cheapest readily available jobber filter you can find - like a $2 luber finer. Its always fun to see how little you actually are getting for all that extra money.

 

[Speedy3861]

After a conversation with tech support at K&N they indicated that their better filter, the one painted white with the welded-on nut is made by Champion Labs, my specific question was about the HP-1008,

 

[PimTac]

I would add the cheapest readily available jobber filter you can find - like a $2 luber finer. Its always fun to see how little you actually are getting for all that extra money.

Luberfiner is another fine product from First Brands.

 

[Robvette]

Thanks!

 

[Bellavita]

That is 100% the point of branding - to confuse the consumer - to either pay more for something because it has a better name on it, or to sell something cheaper to capture the "value" customer without devaluing there primary brand.

The fact it confuses everybody is proof its working. The marketing people will be happy to hear.

You will not find 'to confuse the customer" in definitions of branding. I've included one below;

Product branding is a strategic combination of design, messaging, and experience that uniquely identifies a product and sets it apart from other products in its category.

When there is no differentiation in design or experience with a product, it is not a real brand. The oil filter industry has a lot of opportunity to eliminate zero differentiated brands and create real brands that have real differentiation in product performance and experience. Their factories and bottom lines will benefit with optimized manufacturing through greater volumes on fewer SKUs. Customers and mechanics will do a better job choosing the right filter for the customers type of driving and budget.