Singapore International Water Week: Solid gains made at water summit

Opportunity to meet clients, network with govt and industry elite cited as plus points
Tania Tan, Straits Times 27 Jun 08;

THE talk may all have been about the precious liquid that is water, but the inaugural Singapore International Water Week was full of solid outcomes.

Beyond trying to find solutions for a world where over one billion people lack access to safe drinking water, business deals worth millions were also struck.

The four-day event came to a close yesterday with a dinner reception at Keppel Bay.

Over 5,000 delegates and 390 companies from more than 70 countries 'flooded' the Suntec City, many looking for answers to pressing issues such as managing water resources and dealing with waste water.

Most were the industry's elite - including environment ministers, chief executive officers and research stalwarts.

The international nature of the event meant that those from developing countries had contact with and gained insights into practical and cost-effective solutions to problems their countries had.

Delegates at Singapore's first Water Week event also gave it the thumbs up as proceedings mostly went on without a hitch.

'This has to be one of my favourites,' said Dow Water Solutions general manager Ian Barbour, who has been to six water shows this year.

The Singapore show also impressed with its stellar turnout.

The presence of government and industry elite was a 'big compliment' to Singapore, said Mr William Dee, president and chief executive of New York-based engineering company Malcolm Pirnie.

With parallel summits - including the World Cities Summit and East Asia Summit Conference on Liveable Cities - government officials and industry bigwigs spent nearly 100 hours tackling water issues, with some progress made in tie-ups and deals.

'It's the perfect opportunity to meet clients, both old and new,' said Mr Thomas Searle, president of international business at CH2MHill.

'This is our 'night job',' he said. 'Our day job continues - we're still replying to clients around the world and making sure projects are ongoing.'

Industry experts acknowledged the tide may not yet be turning on global water woes, but said it would be unrealistic to expect one meeting to solve all problems.

'There's not going to be a tidal wave of change,' said Mr Dee. 'These take time.'

Added Dow's Ian Barbour: 'Let's not kid ourselves; this ship isn't going to turn.'

Only with concerted cooperation between public and private sectors can water challenges be tackled, he said.

'We can't give up.'

US giant to build $24m plant here
Jessica Cheam, Straits Times 26 Jun 08;

UNITED States giant Marmon Water is building a $24 million water filter manufacturing plant here - a first by a foreign firm.

Marmon's 3,500 sq m leased facility in Serangoon is expected to be fully operational by the first quarter of next year and will employ 100 workers.

The announcement of the plant was made yesterday - the last day of the four-day inaugural Singapore International Water Week at the Suntec convention centre.

Mr Angelo Pantaleo, president of Marmon Water Drinking Water Group, said the facility will focus on manufacturing residential water treatment products for export to the United States, China and South-east Asia.

The potential of this segment of the global water business is huge.

'The growth rate in Asia is north of 15 per cent annually, compared to about 5 to 8 per cent in the US,' said Mr Pantaleo.

The decision to locate here was due to Singapore's strong industry focus on water, 'the presence of a high talent pool and its connectivity to other markets within Asia', he said.

The Economic Development Board's assistant managing director, Mr Kenneth Tan, said yesterday that Marmon's plant 'marks another key milestone' for Singapore's water industry.

This is not Marmon's first foray into Singapore. In January last year, the company, which has an annual revenue of about US$7 billion (S$9.6 billion), joined local firm Hyflux to set up a $50 million joint water research and development centre.

Marmon and Hyflux said some projects incubated from the centre will soon be brought to the market, including one on a carbon-fibre membrane for residential water treatment.

The two companies will also develop products to be manufactured by the new plant and exported to the region, said Hyflux group deputy chief executive Sam Ong.

This partnership will help Hyflux, which has made headway in the industrial water treatment business, to develop its consumer segment.

'This will help us become an integrated water solutions provider. Consumer products can give us an added value and we want to give it the best shot,' said Mr Ong.

PUB in tie-ups with India, Japan partners
Sembcorp signs accord with Qinzhou municipal govt
Emilyn Yap, Business Times 27 Jun 08;

THE deals keep rolling in at the Singapore International Water Week, as more tie-ups involving PUB, Sembcorp and other international organisations were unveiled yesterday.

Singapore's national water agency PUB signed two memorandums of understanding (MOU) yesterday. The one with the Maharashtra Water Supply and Sanitation Board (MJP) calls for both parties to team up on projects that minimise water wastage and improve infrastructure in Indian cities and towns.

The collaboration will also promote participation by Singapore-based companies in urban water management in Maharashtra, the second most populous state in India.

Pipeline rehabilitation specialist Teacly (S) Pte Ltd, for instance, will work with MJP and Indian partner companies on projects under the MOU.

One project will have PUB helping to introduce a round-the-clock water supply in Ambernath, a town near Mumbai. The town's population currently has water for only three to four hours a day.

'I am confident Ambernath will be the 'beachhead' project that will pave the way for similar collaborations between Singaporean companies and the various Indian states,' said PUB's chief executive Khoo Teng Chye.

PUB inked another MOU with Japanese firm Teijin Ltd to conduct joint research and development in used water treatment.

Teijin will be able to carry out test-bedding of the ozone disinfection treatment process at the final stage of Newater purification. It will also work with a local university on a joint research programme in material technology for used water purification.

Sembcorp also announced a tie-up for its centralised utilities business in Guangxi, China.

The company signed a heads of agreement with the Qinzhou municipal government to jointly develop wastewater treatment, water recycling, and other projects to serve industrial customers in the Qinzhou Port Economic Development Zone (QEDZ).

QEDZ will become Sembcorp's first beachhead in southern China.