Helsinki, Oct 14 (IANS): Kemira, a $3-billion Finnish water chemicals firm, is setting up a unit in Andhra Pradesh with an Indian partner to make chemicals which treat effluents and has launched a series of pilot projects on desalination, officials here said.
"There is huge potential in the Indian market. The size of the water treatment market in India currently stands at $300 million and is slated to grow exponentially," said Tuomas Tormanen, Kemira's vice president for strategy and business development.
"In terms of our investment and future development, India plays a sizable role. We are already investing in a factory in India with a local partner. We are also implementing pilot projects across the country," Tormanen told a visiting IANS correspondent here.
In 2010, Kemira formed a 51-49 joint venture with the Hyderabad-based engineering and construction firm IVRCL to supply chemicals to its water treatment plants. They are now building a Rs.50-crore water treatment chemicals manufacturing unit near Visakhapatnam.
The Finnish company produces a wide range of chemistries that cater to different water treatment applications for municipal and industrial customers, ranging from potable and effluent water to sludge treatment.
Tormanen said that in India the company was focussing on industrial customers, notably those in the petrochemicals, metals, mining and food industries. These units make heavy use of water and Kemira helps them treat waste water to use the resource efficiently.
"It takes about 10 litres of water to produce one A4 sheet of paper. Using chemicals, Kemira helps filter the water and removes waste to ensure that the same water can be used many times over," he said.
"The treatment method ensures that the waste water is restored to its original purity. Water-related solutions involve purifying the discharged water and de-watering various kinds of sludge."
Established in 1920, Kemira has interests in four business verticals -- water treatment chemicals, paper chemicals, performance chemicals and paints and employs 5,000 people across 40 countries. Water treatment chemical business is the major revenue earner.