Water. desalination + reuse

www.desalination.biz Water. desalination + reuse Who's Who 2017 6 EPCs landscape the drive for EPCs to broaden their ser- vices and technology offerings. Through it, Japan's Hitz has gained access to Osmoflo's desalination and membrane-based indus- trial water treatment solutions, to add to its established global position in thermal desalination. As Hitz puts it: "The transac- tion will enable integration of Osmoflo's technology, especially reverse osmosis, with Hitachi Zosen's plant engineering technology and experience in the multi- stage flash method. We believe that this will further enhance the combined companies' opportunities in desalination and indus - trial water treatment, in overseas markets including the Middle East." On the other side, Osmoflo sees the deal as providing significant growth opportuni - ties, particularly as it enables the Australia- based business to tap into Hitz's large international network, and to offer to the market a substantially increased range and size of solutions. Further, Osmoflo opened a new innovation centre, The Edge, in south Australia in March 2017, backed by its new parent company. "With Hitz's support for The two digital developer partners are focusing on customer communication and engagement apps to enable individuals, communities, and utilities to understand, manage and control water consumption habits better. The culture of project development and delivery itself has also arguably taken on a more collaborative tone over the past few years, particularly in the municipal sector. The Carlsbad Desalination Plant Project, situated in Carlsbad, San Diego County in California, and which completed in Decem - ber 2015, is o"en held up as a shining exam- ple of good project design and delivery (the EPC contractor was IDE Technologies); and Carlos Riva, chief executive of the project's developer, Poseidon, has spoken of spend - ing "a lot of time attending the public meetings". As part of growing its capabilities in managing community relations, Poseidon has learned to operate with a high degree of transparency, and to involve customers in the conversation. Poseidon is currently developing a second large scale desa- our research and development, and busi - ness network, we can truly become a global business with the ability to replicate our Australia successes around the world," says Osmoflo chief executive and managing director, Emmanuel Gayan. Culture of collaboration will drive projects As well as building up their capabilities to integrate multiple technologies, firms are increasingly looking at collaborations with third parties, which may be digitally ena - bled. GE Water has developed several part- nerships in collaborations that leader of business development, digital water, Steve Davis, describes as "outside of the fence". They include joint app development pro- jects with WaterSmart So"ware, and Smart Earth Technologies, which will see the third parties develop applications on GE Water's in-house platform, InSight, echoing simi- lar collaborative arrangements pioneered by the tech giants of Silicon Valley, US. The bite-size guide to the big deals that are changing the competitive landscape in desalination and water reuse Suez/CDPQ-GE Water People Jean-Louis Chaussaude, Suez CEO Heiner Markhoff, GE Water president and CEO Deal date Completes mid-2017 Shareholdings 70 per cent Suez 30 per cent Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ) Price: €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion) Strategic rationale The deal combines Suez's expertise and global footprint in project design, delivery and operations, and GE Water's systems and products portfolio, and expects to result in significant cost and revenue synergies. Stantec-MWH Global People Bob Gomes, Stantec president and chief executive officer Alan Krause, MWH chairman and chief executive officer Deal date Completed May 2017 Shareholdings MHW Global is now wholly-owned by Stantec Price: $793 million Strategic rationale The deal aims to create a global leader in water and infrastructure markets, expands Stantec's geographic footprint, enhances cross-selling capabilities, creates additional growth opportunities, adds water-related construction capabilities, and offers new opportunities to employees. Hitachi Zosen-Osmoflo People Takashi Tanisho, president and chief executive officer, Hitachi Zosen Emmanuel Gayan, managing director and CEO, Osmoflo Deal date Completed March 2017 Shareholdings Hitz acquired 70 per cent of shares owned by Osmoflo founders Annie and Marc Fabig. The remaining 30 per cent remain with Marubeni Water Australia, a subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation of Japan. Price: Not disclosed Strategic rationale The transaction is expected to enable integration of Osmoflo technology, especially reverse osmosis, with Hitachi Zosen's plant engineering technology and experience in multi-stage flash, enhancing opportunities in desalination and industrial water treatment in overseas markets, including the Middle East.

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