Conwed increases RO feed spacer production capacity

Conwed, the leading plastic netting manufacturer in the world, manufactures a full line of feed spacers specifically designed for reverse osmosis applications. As part of a global product development effort to create the next-generation feed spacers and in response to increasing demand for drinkable water worldwide, Conwed decided to expand production capacity in its European plant based in Genk, Belgium.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a critical part of the world’s water supply. By 2025, nearly 1 billion people will lack access to fresh, drinkable water. It is clear that RO will play a major role in alleviating water scarcity, but there will be a strong push for greater efficiency and cutting energy costs while boosting product water output. Frequently known as scrim, mesh, net, or netting, feed spacers act as one of the layers of wound materials in reverse osmosis filters and provide vital separation between the membranes to achieve superior filter performance.

The Global Innovation and Technology team at Conwed, led by James Kidwell, is devising and testing new ideas and developments in feed spacers. “We believe the next generation of improved RO feed spacers can lead to increased performance & energy efficiency.  Pressure drop, membrane damage and biofouling are a concern for both membrane manufacturers and RO plant operators.  We believe the next leap in RO filtration efficiency could come from the feed spacer”.

Conwed is focusing on the RO feed spacer market following increasing demand for RO filters worldwide.  Existing RO plants expanding their water treatment capacity and new plants around the world becoming operational confirm the growing need for drinkable water.  “We proactively took upon ourselves the challenge of understanding how feed spacer design evolution may impact filtration efficiency. We want to become the innovation leader in RO feed spacer development”, said Chris Hatzenbuhler, CEO at Conwed.  

All Asia, Africa, Middle East and Australia customers, serviced by Conwed European Headquarters, will benefit from the expanded production capacity installed. “We’re delighted with this investment in our European plant. Increasing our feed spacer production capacity confirms our commitment to the reverse osmosis industry. Our ability to customize netting configurations and our in-house testing capabilities make us the partner of choice for RO filter developers”, said Stefan Tielen, General Manager at Conwed Europe.

In an industry with such large-scale inputs of power, water and capital, small gains in operational efficiency can mean big economical savings. Conwed is committed to continuing RO feed spacer research and working closely with customers to develop the next-generation RO feed spacer technology. For additional information about RO feed spacer development at Conwed, visit www.conwedplastics.com/ro