News Release
Japanese Water Technology Wins Dragon’s Den Style Innovations Forum
• VOLUTE™ sludge dewatering press technology awarded by judges for innovation
• Designed in Japan, the equipment is now being used in six continents
• Company supplied “world’s smallest” dewatering press into Siberia
PRAGUE, Czech Republic – March 04, 2015 – A Japanese wastewater processing technology that’s helping plant operators reduce operating costs overcame a Dragon’s Den style panel to win the annual WEX Innovations Forum.
The VOLUTE™ Dewatering Press from Japanese company, Amcon (Amenity Convenience), scooped the Innovation Forum Award presented at the WEX (Water-Energy Exchange) event held in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Forum and Award showcase the latest industry technologies and how they mark the next big step in technological evolution. Inspired by the popular Dragon’s Den style TV programme, companies entering the Forum had to pitch their technology in 10 minutes and then face questions from a panel of judges, including consultants, financiers and utilities.
Industry experts on the panel included Fiona Griffith, Managing Director of Isle Utilities, Frank Rogalla, Director of Innovation and Technology at Aqualia and Piers Clark, formerly with utility Thames Water and now Director at Global Water Development, a Blackstone Portfolio Company. The VOLUTE™ dewatering press is now being used in Europe, Russia, North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Amcon recently supplied the world’s smallest dewatering press to Siberia, to serve a population equivalent of 500 people but also supplies large scale systems for population equivalent of 130,000 people.
The treatment of sludge – the residual, semi-solid material extracted from wastewater treatment – is an expensive cost for utilities. In Europe, sludge treatment can amount of 50% of a wastewater treatment plant’s operating costs. By dewatering sludge, it reduces the weight and therefore cost associated with transporting the product. Since the development of VOLUTE™, there have been three generations of cylinder improvements and new model sizes added over the years. The current ES series has 13 models.
Richard Beagrie, Sales Director for Amcon Europe, said: “VOLUTE™ is a technology that was conceived and developed in Japan, but is now being used across six continents. The idea came about from the frustrations and issues that operators experienced. The result is a vision from operators, for operators.”
Mark Barker, CEO of WEX, said: “Lots of companies claim to have the next great innovation or technology breakthrough in the industry but many fail in taking that product through to full commercial success. We came up with the Innovations Forum to really put the latest water and energy industry technologies against each other but to have them judged and verified by a panel of industry experts. Congratulations to Amcon for its VOLUTE™ technology and demonstrating how to export and translate Japanese innovation through to the global market.”
