Kemira and VTT Technical Research Center of Finland jointly manage the Center of Water Efficiency Excellence, also known as SWEET, which was established in 2010. The goal is to create new technologies for water-intensive industries.
SWEET has three common goals for innovation. The first one is to enhance the efficiency of water use and reuse. The second goal is to develop new sustainable water chemistry solutions and products. The third one is related to dewatering sludge to be reused for energy or as nutrients.
The total funding for the project is EUR 120 million for 2010–2014. External funding is important for SWEET, as it enables the center to bring together experts from different companies and fields.
“Chemistry is just one of these fields. Water-related innovations also require other technologies, such as measurement technologies, analysis operations and biological water treatment,” says Harri Kerminen, CEO of Kemira (pictured above).
VTT Technical Research Center of Finland and Kemira complement one another in SWEET: VTT offers resources and expertise related to various technologies, and Kemira provides water experts. The network of partners also includes other companies, such as Outotec and Metso.
“We still have room for new partners, especially small and medium-sized businesses. This may be their chance to grow and go international,” says Kerminen.
At the core of strategy
SWEET represents the core of Kemira’s strategy for many reasons. To begin with, Kemira seeks new solutions for water-intensive industries.
“We used to focus on products, but our approach has changed. We are now focusing on the customer and developing solutions to problems in the customer’s process. Wherever we are creating something new, we are always close to the customer,” Kerminen explains.
Another reason is global and obvious. “It is the big picture related to water use. The reuse is a megatrend: there is a serious shortage of usable water.”
Clean water is part of Finland’s country brand. The benefits of a small country include relatively small circles: experts from different fields know one another. This enables different players, such as research institutes and companies, to collaborate with an open mind.
Some of SWEET’s projects are long-term, seeking new markets as well as new solutions. Other research projects aim at faster commercialization. Altogether, SWEET has approximately 30 projects in progress. The center employs more than 200 water chemistry experts from around the world.
Text: Pirkko Koivu