RO plants have emerged as the most preferred means of water purification. The simple method of reversing the osmosis process proves to be remarkably successful in cleaning the most polluted waters. While we are more familiar with the household use of RO systems, larger RO plants have wider applications.

RO technology is used in both portable and industrial-sized plants. Examples of portable systems include household filters. Some Army units use portable RO machines to purify water on location. But it is the larger industrial RO plants that have a much more significant role to play. In India commercial RO Plant Manufacturers now have a larger scope, providing a tremendous opportunity of growth and expansion.

Market Share

The severe shortage of safe drinking water has given to an ever-increasing demand for water purifying technology in India. Growing population and severely depleted sources of water means that this demand will simply keep rising. This makes experts bullish on the Indian markets with many predicting a further boom for years to come.

The Center for International Trade Development puts the market estimate at more than USD 4 billion. Further, it expects it to grow by 10%to 12% in the next few years. Another report by TechSci Research projects the membranes market to grow at approximately 14% in 2014-19. Driving this growth will be the RO plants.

Today the market is dominated by some big brands, including many international companies. Apart from high expertise, many of these companies also import their membranes, guaranteeing their quality. Some figures claim that more than 70 projects in 20 cities are run by international companies.

However, of late a number of local commercial RO plant manufacturers are also gaining traction in the booming Indian market. Impressively, many of these belong to the SME sector. With the import of technology and access to world class products, even smaller companies offer an excellent deal. Their increasing foothold in the industry makes it more diverse and gives us a a much wider scope in pricing.

The areas of interest

Some of the places where commercial RO plants have a scope are:

• Desalination plant
• Housing societies
• Municipal facilities
• Beverage industry
• Wastewater management
• Power generation

Drivers of demand:

Before we celebrate the growing opportunities in the RO market, we must also understand the factors that drive it. Some of these are:

Overburdened municipal bodies: India is one of the most populated countries in the world, which means a high demand of drinking water. However, our sources of drinking water are severely limited. In urban areas with high concentration of people and industry, this demand is now nearing unmanageable levels. Municipal bodies across various cities are failing in water purification and water supply.

This is why 50% of the demand in RO plants actually comes from the government and government bodies. Here commercial RO plant manufacturers often work in tandem with the State government, installing and sometimes even managing the plants.

Rising health awareness: There is a rising awareness among people across the nation on the non-availability of pure drinking water. Coupled with rising incomes, this awareness is fueling the demand for purified water. This is one of the major drivers for household RO units. For the larger commercial manufacturer, the rising demand has led to more takers for larger plants, whether in the business of water supply or for housing colonies.

Self-sufficiency: Given the notorious state of India public infrastructure management, it is no wonder that people are now looking for more and more avenues for self sufficiency. The government too faced with a mammoth demand has encouraged the trend for the same. Rising incomes again play a vital role here, giving communities the ability to build their own plants. For instance, many urban housing societies have an internal RO plant that acts as back-up to municipal water.

Industrial growth and compulsions: Scarcity of water, growing public concerns, campaigns and legislation has forced the industrial sector to invest in reliable RO plants. Not only is it vital for their self-sufficiency and smooth functioning, it is also becoming necessary to ensure purity of products.

Conclusion

The market for commercial RO plant manufacturers is poised for a period of booming growth. Increasing health awareness, disposable incomes and overburdened resources will ensure that this remains a market of many opportunities.