Market development
During 2006, the market for sewage sludge dewatering equipment developed very positively, especially in Western Europe and the USA. In China, project activity has also been high. Project activity for sludge drying plants focused on the UK and Asia. Due to rising gas prices, the market for refurbishments of drying plants with combined heat and power solutions and plants with combined incineration is on the rise. The trend in the US towards pathogen elimination in bio-solids prior to reuse on land has continued, thus driving the demand for sludge treatment systems.
Project activity for industrial applications for the petrochemical, minerals, mining, and food processing industries was very high in most areas of the world, but especially in China. Demand was on the rise again in the US, where there had been quite low investment activity during the past few years. Also, the demand for dewatering equipment to treat industrial sludges, in particular from the steel industry and from flue gas desulphurization plants, remained at a very high level.