Micronics

Micronics

Micronics was established in 1963 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and has been led by Bernard Lanigan Jr. for over six decades. The firm specializes in engineered filtration solutions, manufacturing filter presses and related consumable products for heavy industrial end markets. Its equipment is embedded in mineral processing, chemical manufacturing, and power generation supply chains, with a durability that makes the installed base a long-duration revenue stream. The firm operates across a spectrum of industrial filtration, including mining and mineral concentrates, chemical intermediates, and utility sludge dewatering. Deployment is asset-heavy: Micronics maintains a direct manufacturing footprint for filter cloths, plates, and complete press systems, while also servicing legacy installations through its aftermarket parts and field-service network. Confirmed co-investments alongside external partners are not publicly catalogued, but the company has disclosed at least one private-equity-backed recapitalization, when Vance Street Capital acquired a majority stake in 2013. Geographic reach includes North America and Mexico, with distribution into Latin American mining basins. Scale metrics are not publicly disclosed. The firm operates from its Chattanooga headquarters, with manufacturing and service facilities in New Hampshire and multiple Latin American locations. Adjacent vehicles include wholly owned subsidiaries like Southern Filter Media, which extend the firm's control over raw-material inputs for its consumable business. In January 2024, Micronics rebranded its Mexico-based engineered filtration operation as Micronics de México as part of a broader integration effort across its North American industrial base. Micronics' structural differentiator is its hold on the total-cost-of-ownership calculus in pressure filtration. By designing the press, manufacturing the proprietary filter cloth, and then servicing the installed fleet, the firm captures margin at three distinct points in the asset lifecycle — making it difficult for pure-play equipment manufacturers or commodity media suppliers to dislodge on price alone. This captive aftermarket dynamic is the moat that private-equity owners typically underwrite.