Page 79 - March 2020 - WT Site

LEADER'S
LEADER'S
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T
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TALK
find the right models, technologies and solutions that will bring new products and new solutions. Of course, we can’t
work in India for India. be complacent. We fully recognize, it is challenging to be #1,
but even more challenging to stay as #1.
Being the largest membrane seller how does this solve
the Indian Water pollutions or hygienic problems? Can you give a brief about your CSR Initiatives to our
readers?
We are the global technology leader for water treatment
& purification. Our mission is to take our global science Sustainability is core to what we do. We should practice this
and provide local solutions. We have the entire portfolio of at home and help others as well. Let me share three examples
technologies to customize the right solution and cater needs in (a) We changed the reverse osmosis market 30 years ago by
different parts of India. Think this way, if water is reasonably introducing dry membranes which eliminated the need of
clean, we should use ultrafiltration which is very cost effective water for wet testing, saving millions of gallons of water at
to make clean water. It may cost less than 1 paisa per liter. If our manufacturing site. (b) We help our customers achieve
in another place, water is highly contaminated, and we need their sustainability goals with our technologies and solutions
multiple solutions, we may consider reverse osmosis to make for Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD). (c) Contributing to the
clean water cost effectively. We can truly customize for various society with our USAID collaboration for fluoride treatment
sources and quality of feed water to put the right solution that of water in Kenya to free water treatment systems with Coca-
delivers the most value at least life cycle cost. cola in Vietnam and free water for schools for Chengdu in
China are some of the many initiatives we have been part of.
Do you believe India should have its own standards
for Quality for Water treatment products especially Creating awareness among the stakeholders is a serious
membranes? point in this business. Tell us how you do it.

Yes, can’t agree more. Every year we conduct seminars
We have global standards. We should start with them to see; globally including India, to train the young generation for
do they meet India’s needs. If not, yes, we could make India- various industries. We host webinars through an online
specific standards. China and other countries have adapted platform Water Academy hosted on our website and we plan
their own standards.
to have 30 such sessions globally on various topics in 2020.
During the last decade India has witnessed a number We do use customer testimonials to educate our stakeholders
of new entrants in the membrane market. Please share and potential customers. One of the examples is our
your opinion about this.
efforts in a wastewater treatment plant in Tirupur, India to
More players entering India is a positive sign for the implement ZLD in the textile industry. This needs a multi-
country in terms of market attractiveness and a good thing prong approach including digital.
for customers as they are not dependent on one supplier
completely. At the same time, we need standards to ensure Demand & supply is a great challenge in this business
we create a level playing field and continuously raise the bar. – How do you tackle this challenge?
We recognize this trend globally thus, focus on innovation Being a global business, operating across six continents
and value creation for our end users as the means to stay and living in this VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity,
ahead in this game. ambiguity) world, this is a constant battle for all global
companies including us. This unbalance impacts our lead
What does it mean to be the largest player in the time and customer service level. Strong demand in the last
membrane market?
two years has significantly increased our lead time impacting
We have big responsibilities to educate and shape the market our customer experience adversely. We are working hard to
and behave as a leader. We must continuously innovate to improve this in 2020 and beyond.

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