Koch Membrane Systems

What is it?

The membrane manufacturing subsidiary of Koch Industries.

What has it done?

In 2009, KMS made a massive bet on the superiority of its new large-diameter reverse osmosis membrane elements, investing in an automated manufacturing facility in Boston. It has also developed new applications for its Puron hollow-fibre ultrafiltration membrane.

What makes it special?

• Most big corporations with a subsidiary that is a distant fourth in the market would cut and run. Koch is different. It believes in the power of technology, and has been investing to make the difference.

• KMS' large-diameter RO element achieved its first seawater reference in 2009 with the desalination plant serving the Esperanza mine in Chile. Large-diameter membranes are widely recognised as one of the most significant steps taken towards reducing the cost of desalination in the past five years. KMS has also developed seawater pressure vessels to house its large-diameter elements.

• Koch was one of the pioneers of the ultrafiltration industry during the 1960s and 1970s, and the development of its Puron membranes for drinking water and seawater pretreatment applications demonstrate the company's commitment to staying at the cutting edge of technology.