Again prestigious recognition for water technology company Ferr-Tech from Meppel. The start-up has won the WIS Award 2022.
“Every two years, all kinds of innovative water tech companies compete for this prize,” says Judith le Fèvre, co-owner of the company. She proudly takes the prize, which is appropriately shaped like a water drop. “We fought for it, and in the end the expert jury chose us and we were named the most innovative company of this year.”
The company wins the prize for a chemical cleaning agent that is produced in Meppel. The chemical Ferrate has long been known as a good means of purifying water. Cleaner and more sustainable than chemicals currently used. But it was never usable in practice due to poor shelf life. That problem has been solved in Meppel. “We are the only one in the world that can produce this in a sustainable and stable manner,” continues Le Fèvre. “It had been around for a long time, this is already known in science, but it was not sustainable. And we succeeded, after seven years of research.”
The liquid clumps all the dirt together into one flake, which you can fish out of the water. Then clean water remains. The product should contribute to less wasted water. Le Fèvre: “In European industry, only two percent of all pure water is reused. Even though there is an enormous water shortage! Our product should change that.”
“This is the strongest solution, it is 63 percent stronger than chlorine,” says Le Fèvre. “And sustainable: because chlorine is very harmful to the environment and this product is not.”