The 24th edition of Aquatech Amsterdam proved once again to be a major success. Bringing together over 750 exhibitors and some 18,500 visitors from the national and international water sector, this 2013 edition presented itself as the ultimate platform for industry leaders and water professionals to network and find the latest innovative products, services, and technologies. With the addition of the co-located International Water Week and the Industrial Leaders Forum, Amsterdam RAI was a truly stimulating place to be for everyone involved in water.
For the second time the International Water Week and Aquatech Amsterdam were held together in Amsterdam RAI. “We have had so much positive feedback from our exhibitors and visitors.” says Annette Bos, Domain Manager Aquatech Global Events at Amsterdam RAI. “It’s clear that the Aquatech exhibition is a must visit event for the international water sector.” Bos adds “We welcomed visitors from 140 different countries and 60% of them came from abroad. Special delegations from 40 countries attended the event, with support from the Dutch government. The appreciation and trust expressed by our exhibitors for the Aquatech formula is overwhelming. Despite the economic uncertainty already 30 percent of the show floor is rebooked for 2015 .“
Impressive opening ceremony with high levels guests
Some 650 visitors and high level keynote speakers celebrated the opening of the International Water Week and Aquatech Amsterdam. Amongst them were H.R.H Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board. He addressed the Opening Ceremony of IWW, highlighting that for many people around the world, water is a health hazard rather than a promoter of good health. Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment Mrs. Melanie Schultz van Haegen also spoke at the opening, commenting: ‘We have a responsibility to share experience, to save lives.’ The overall message of all keynote speakers was that the global water community must develop and implement integrated solutions.
Dutch company Vitens overall winner Aquatech Innovation Award
The winner and category winners of the Aquatech Innovation Award were announced during the International Water Week and Aquatech Amsterdam opening ceremony. Vitens’ product, the HumVi Liquid technology, filters fulvic/humic acid from drinking water and turns it into an agricultural fertilizer. With this the company stood out as the overall winner, says Professor Cees Buisman (Wetsus), chairman of the jury, “because the submission is a full-scale plant and Vitens has transformed a waste product into a very valuable marketable product. This is a different way of thinking in the drinking water world – that you upgrade your waste to something that can be sold, so that’s very innovative.”
Exhibitors very satisfied
Much to the satisfaction of the exhibitors, Aquatech Amsterdam was a well-attended event in its own right. The aisles in the halls were busy and there were plenty of animated discussions at the stands.
Niclas Wullt, Managing Director Bluewater: “Coming to the end of this show I’m very pleased. We are exhausted but we absolutely have a great feeling. The reception of existing customers has been fantastic and we have tons of new leads. We have now done Aquatech here in Europe, and now we are looking forward for Aquatech in the US, in Orlando in March.
Special focus on industrial water use
In line with market demand, Aquatech placed a special focus on the industrial use of water. One of the main programme elements reflecting this need was the Industrial Leaders Forum. Moderator Menno Holterman, the CEO of Nijhuis Industries, explains that ‘for industry, water is becoming their licence to produce’. He added that during the preparations for the event, the captains of industry involved had unanimously proposed to send their sustainability directors, because all of the major water users are implementing ways to reduce their water footprint. Rabobank’s Managing Director of Sustainable Business Development, Daan Dijk, noted that there is a significant latent demand for more money to implement water efficient technologies. He also outlined the need for a ‘hard-nosed’ approach to sustainability based on quantitative figures.
About Aquatech Global Events
Established in 1964, Aquatech Global Events organises the world’s leading trade events in the process, drinking and waste water technology sectors in Europe, the USA, China and India. The well-established format covers the following segments: Transport and Storage, Water Treatment, Point of Use, Process Control, Technology & Process Automation, and Country Pavilions. Aquatech Global Events are visited by professionals from all parts of the water industry and attract policy-makers, top-level businesses, specialists, and those who apply the technology in practice. More information can be found at www.aquatechtrade.com.
The calendar of Aquatech Global Events:
- WQA Aquatech USA 2014: 18 -21 March 2014, Orlando (FL), USA
- Aquatech India 2014: 6 – 8 May 2014, New Delhi, India
- Aquatech China 2014: 25 – 27 June 2014, Shanghai, China
- Aquatech Amsterdam 2015: 3 - 6 November 2015, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- International Water Week: 1 - 6 November 2015, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
