Asian market drives sedimentation market

Worldwide orders for sedimentation and centrifugation equipment will grow from US$ 4.3 billion in 2001 to US$ 5.7 billion in 2006. Clarifiers and thickeners, decanter centrifuges, disk separators, dissolved air flotation systems and hydrocyclones are included in a continuously updated online report from the McIlvaine Company.

Key findings of the report include:

• Growth in Asia will exceed that of Europe or North America. Infrastruc-ture investments in municipal water and wastewater treatment plants will be major drivers.

• Decanter centrifuges will continue to outsell belt filter presses for municipal wastewater applications particularly for plants treating more than 5 mgd.

• Dissolved air flotation sales will be buoyed by strong Asian drinking water growth and hazardous disinfection by-product concerns in municipal water treatment.

• Municipal wastewater treatment plants and food manufacturers will be the largest purchasers.

• Consolidation of the industry will continue to occur. Only three European-based companies have acquired hundreds of small suppliers. The industry will lose many of its medium-sized companies leaving a few large suppliers and nearly 1,000 small companies serving specific niches.