Tri-Tech planning forward-osmosis pilot plants

Chinese water and wastewater treatment company Tri-Tech Holdings announced on 13 May 2011 that its current plans include constructing and operating one or more forward-osmosis (FO) pilot units using technology licensed from Arizona-based Hydration Technology Innovations (HTI).

Tri-Tech CEO Warren Zhao said, “Tri-Tech is authorized and licensed to construct and operate pilot units in both municipal and industrial sites for wastewater treatment testing, demonstration and evaluation.”

The company reached a distribution agreement with HTI, which claims to be the world’s only commercial manufacturer of FO membranes, modules and systems, in October 2010.

Speaking at the announcement that Tri-Tech first-quarter revenue had increased 314% to US$ 17.6 million from US$ 4.2 million a year ago, Zhao also said, “We currently have three major on-going R&D projects involving software product development and product research. These development phase projects are expected to be completed in the second half of 2011.

Tri-Tech held a ground-breaking ceremony on 29 April 2011 for its new Tianjin Baoding Environment Technology Development Center,which focuses on technology development, software development, pilot testing, pre-installation/pre-assembly and manufacturing of the company’s proprietary products. The first two phases of the research and development center are to be completed in 2014 with a total capital budget of US$ 18 million.

“We are also seeking cooperative opportunities with several industrial companies in the US and Europe,” added Zhao.