Swedish companies have been at the forefront of water technology for many years. As more and more international contractors recognise Sweden’s expertise in water, suppliers like Sweco and Elof Hansson have new exciting projects underway
Over the years, Sweden has earned a well-deserved reputation for having companies that specialise in water and wastewater treatment, engineering and sustainable solutions. Swedish architecture and engineering consultancy Sweco, for example, has more than 500 employees dedicated to water and wastewater treatment and waste management and environmental investigation projects, within Sweden and abroad.
Sweco has been involved in project management, training and other services in many international wastewater projects. These include the Northern Wastewater Treatment Plant in St Petersburg, Russia, the Om Noi Wastewater Treatment Plant in Thailand and the Al-Samra Wastewater Treatment plant in Amman, Jordan, to name just a few.
All of the wastewater from Amman, a city of more than 2 million, is treated at the Swedish-designed plant. “Thanks to the design, the Amman plant is almost completely energy neutral,” says Jakob Fries, International Director, Water & Environment, Sweco, adding that many Swedish wastewater facilities today actually produce more energy than they consume.
Fries believes that Swedish wastewater technology is unique in terms of its planning and design. Sweden also excels in sustainability and in circular solutions that have been developing over several decades, he adds.
Our history of adapting to the local conditions has given us wide experience of how different technologies shall be combined to reach a sustainable solution
Jakob Fries, Sweco
“Swedish equipment is continuously being developed to secure long life and high efficiency. And since the 1970s we have strived for energy and resource efficiency,” says Fries. “The way we have achieved this is by always designing based on the local conditions and needs. Water and wastewater treatment is a lot about choosing and integrating a wide spectrum of technology to achieve the overall goal. Our history of always adapting to the local conditions has given us wide experience of how different technologies shall be combined to reach a sustainable solution.”
Sweco is one of the companies that Elof Hansson works with regularly on international wastewater and other projects. The global trading house specialises in financing and project execution. It offers comprehensive packages that include equipment, services and financial solutions. Its customers come from many different areas, including infrastructures such as railways, agriculture, irrigation and healthcare, as well as water and wastewater treatment projects.
“We work with a wide range of projects where we combine two or more suppliers to integrate into a complete system delivery,” says Björn Olausson, President, Elof Hansson International. “And we only focus on projects that are linked to the UN 2030 agenda.”
Elof Hansson is currently developing a concept for a complete water treatment plant in Africa that will eventually deliver 55,000 cubic meters of water a day. This water will be pumped from a river, treated for impurities and then distributed to communities as clean drinking water. It is being designed and built using the best in Swedish equipment, technology and know-how. Sweco also has a key role in the project.
“Sweden has a lot to offer in the water and wastewater treatment segments,” says Olausson. He adds that Swedish companies can provide the skills necessary to address every aspect of managing a water supply and treatment plant, from providing pump stations, piping and other equipment to preparing sites for installation. Swedish companies can also provide installation supervision and the training of end-users to successfully manage such operations and run the equipment.
“It is equally important to sell knowledge and transfer that to the people who will maintain the equipment,” says Olausson. He adds that Swedish expertise in water and wastewater treatment solutions, combined with attractive financing, present an unbeatable combination.
Sector: Healthcare
EPC contractor: Amandi Investment Ltd.
Lead arrangers: Investec Bank Ltd.
Financing: EUR 185 million