Hyflux

Hyflux Logo

Hyflux Ltd (Hyflux) is a global environmental solutions company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX), with a market capitalisation close to S$735.4 million (as at March 2009), and employs over 1,200 staff in China, India, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as well as Singapore and Southeast Asia. The company was founded in 1989 by Ms Olivia Lum, Group CEO, President and Managing Director.

In 2006, the company was given the 'Water Company of the Year' award, at the 'Global Water Awards', by the Global Water Intelligence, UK.

History

The company started initially as Hydrochem (S) Pte Ltd, in 1989 with a start-up capital of S$20,000 and three staff, selling water treatment systems. Today, Hyflux has operations and projects across China, India, the MENA region as well as Singapore and Southeast Asia.

The company was the first water treatment specialist to be listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in January 2001. Group CEO, President and Managing Director is Olivia Lum. Over the last eight years, profits and sales have grown by a compounded average annual growth rate of 30 per cent. In 2008, the group had net profits of S$59 million.^[1]

Establishment of Hyflux Water Trust

In 2007, Hyflux marked another first in the Singapore Stock Exchange by listing the Hyflux Water Trust (HWT) on the mainboard in December. HWT is the first pure-play global water trust to be listed in Asia. It is Hyflux's primary financial platform for investing in water infrastructure assets in China, India, the MENA region, and other high growth markets globally.

In 2004, Hyflux launched its membrane and materials technology centre - the largest in Asia, outside Japan, to spearhead its development in membrane technology and environmental engineering. It maintains more than 10 research laboratories in Singapore, including a knowledge centre, an "innovative process development centre", a materials and membrane products development centre as well as advanced machining, prototyping and industrial design functions.

Hyflux collaborates with research institutions and companies to develop and enhance its research programmes, expand areas of membrane applications, improve existing technologies and processes as well as commercialise novel technologies. Partners include the National University of Singapore, CEPAration BV (a spin-off from leading Dutch technology institute, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), Marmon Water LLC (North America’s largest manufacturer of residential and commercial water treatment systems) and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, China.

Hyflux’s strength as a membrane technology company has enabled it to identify niche applications in several sectors other than water – moving into the field of clean energy in environmental applications such as the recycling of used oil, processing of bio ethanol as well as in the production of bio-based materials such as lactic acid.

Landmark Projects

Hyflux has built projects in Singapore, China, Southeast Asia, The Middle East, and Algeria. Some examples of Hyflux’s projects include:

SingSpring Seawater Desalination Plant, Singapore

The S$200 million plant was completed in September 2005, and supplies some 136,380 m3/day of desalinated water to meet approximately 10 percent of Singapore’s water needs.

Seawater Desalination Plant, Tiajin City, China

Hyflux is building the country’s largest seawater desalination plant in Tianjin. The S$155 million membrane-based desalination plant, with a capacity of 150,000m3/day, employs Hyflux’s proprietary ultra-filtration technology.

Seawater Desalination Plant, Magtaa, Algeria

Hyflux, in April 2008, won the bid for the largest seawater desalination plant in Algeria, with a capacity of 500,000m3/day and a project value of US$468 million (about S$632 million) awarded by Algeria Energy Company (AEC), the government company handling power and water privatisation exercise in Algeria.

Seawater Desalination Plant, Tlemcen, Algeria

Marking a significant breakthrough in the MENA market, Hyflux was awarded the contract by AEC to design, develop, finance, construct, operate and maintain a 200,000 m³/day seawater desalination plant at Tlemcen, Algeria in October 2006.

External links

• Company's main website

References