USFilter creates integrated MBR Technology Center

WARRENDALE, PA, Jan, 19, 2006 -- Recognizing the growing customer need for integrated biological and membrane wastewater treatment, USFilter, part of the Water Technology division of Siemens's Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) Group, has created a new Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Technology Center. The center will focus on wastewater treatment solutions that combine the company's proven Memcor MBR with established biological technologies from Envirex, Jet Tech and Davco product lines. Such technologies include multi-channel oxidation ditches, vertical loop reactors, field-erected biological systems, sequencing batch reactors, and other biological technologies of Siemens.

"The MBR Center will provide our customers with more choices to cost effectively treat their wastewater," said Chuck Gordon, executive vice president of the Water Technologies' systems unit. "We will be able to develop new products and new configurations of MBR technology - allowing customers to expand MBR applications, improve effluent quality, and reduce costs."

MBRs were introduced in the last 10 to 15 years as a way of combining membrane filtration with biological treatment. An alternative to conventional treatment, MBRs enable customers to meet strict effluent requirements with smaller treatment plants that allow higher reactor loadings and produce less sludge. The technology is ideal for retrofits and for water recycling.

According to market researchers, the market for MBRs is still growing. Robert W. McIlvaine of the McIlvaine Company, a filtration forecasting firm, has noticed a 30 to 40 percent increase in MBR sales over the past few years. Within that number, MBR usage for wastewater treatment has increased by 60 percent. In the U.S. alone, sales are projected to almost double to nearly $100 million by the year 2010.

"Our new MBR Center will be supported by our best team of experienced Memcor membrane and process technologists, as well as biological treatment experts," said Gordon. "The group will be fully focused on the growth potential of the product and the MBR market."

Siemens Water Technologies delivers cost-effective, reliable water and wastewater treatment systems and services to municipal, industrial, commercial and institutional customers worldwide. The division "Water Technologies" is part of Siemens' Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) which is the integrator of systems and solutions for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation, operation and the entire life cycle. I&S uses the electrical and technical products of other Siemens Groups in order to enhance productivity and improve competitiveness of companies in the sectors of metallurgy, water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, marine engineering, open-cast mining, intelligent traffic systems and industrial services. In fiscal 2005, I&S employed a total of 31,700 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 5.390 billion [US$6.54 billion]. Visit company websites at www.usfilter.com, and www.siemens.com/water.

[US$1 = EUR 0.8239]

Also see:
-- "Siemens buys Monosep Corp., Altivia's odor control and disinfection business"
-- "Case Study: USFilter Strantrol controller aids Mich. water park"
-- "Siemens consortium to build $2.18 billion, 900-MW Saudi power plant, desalination facility"

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