Water Expertise Has Solid Foundations in Oulu for New Business Development

Water and its purity and shortage are hot topics around the world. In more developed countries, wastewater and its treatment are a pressing concern. In less developed countries, a shortage of clean drinking water is often the problem. Oulu has strong expertise in water technology and large water treatment projects; it is being developed further at the Centre of Expertise in the Water Industry Cluster, Cewic.

Water and its purity and shortage are hot topics around the world. In more developed countries, wastewater and its treatment are a pressing concern. In less developed countries, a shortage of clean drinking water is often the problem. Oulu has strong expertise in water technology and large water treatment projects; it is being developed further at the Centre of Expertise in the Water Industry Cluster, Cewic. The center brings together businesses, research organizations, schools and universities and public-sector bodies around the world that have an interest in developing the water sector. The aim is to produce new systems and services for water and wastewater treatment. Cewic' research and development activities are based on the globally expanding water sector market and the resulting need for development that businesses try to solve.

Need-based research and development

Water-sector customers include public bodies such as cities around the world that need new solutions to enhance their own operations. Customers also include industry. Key Finnish parties are already involved in Cewic's development projects. This guarantees that the end-result will best comply with the needs of the customers in, for example, wastewater treatment, community water management and industrial fresh water and process circulation. "In practice, this means that we conduct research based on customers' needs and develop applications and technologies that can be tested at customers' locations and facilities," says Eero Huttunen who took part in the launch of the competence cluster.

Multi-technological solutions

The aim in Oulu is to combine both Finnish and global water expertise. "The objective is to increase net sales in the sector by combining in a broad-minded way expertise on research, technology and business from various sectors, driven by customer needs," Huttunen says. Cooperation between sectors is essential because future products involve so many different technologies for solving the complicated problems of customers. Huttunen stresses the openness of the Cewic network. It is open to all water-sector actors in Finland and also abroad.

Water expertise has solid foundations in Oulu

Huttunen says that water expertise has a solid foundation in Oulu thanks to the many years of top-level research. "There is expertise at the University of Oulu and Oulu University of Applied Sciences. And we have numerous companies offering various water solutions," says Huttunen. At the moment, Cewic includes the University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, the City of Oulu and numerous businesses. In addition, there are many research organizations and educational institutions from elsewhere in Finland.