Pump Engineering Inc.

What is it?

A supplier of turbo-style energy recovery devices for desalination plants.

What has it done?

In 2009, Pump Engineering pushed aside the established players to double its market share, securing the energy recovery contract for the largest membrane desalination plant in the world (at Mactaa in Algeria) along the way.

What makes it special?

• PEI’s proposition is two-fold. Firstly, it requires engineers to look at the energy efficiency of the whole power train, rather than just the energy recovery device. Secondly, it is available at lower capital costs than the market-leading system, reaching an important part of the market which was underserved by more highly priced isobaric devices.

• The power of this proposition was underscored in December 2009 when PEI was acquired by the market leader, Energy Recovery Inc.

• PEI has opened up the energy recovery device market in the Gulf and North Africa, where lower energy costs have meant that the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has not been prioritised.