The water treatment industry in India stands at a crossroads, grappling with significant challenges while presenting immense opportunities. Ajay Popat, President of Ion Exchange (India), a leader in water and environment management, sheds light on the current state of the industry, the company’s performance, and its strategic initiatives. His insights offer a compelling perspective on the sector’s trajectory and the role of innovation in addressing critical water issues.
India’s water treatment industry is ripe for investment, driven by water stress, groundwater depletion, and urban water scarcity. The Government of India’s focus on sustainable water management, including conservation and reuse, is creating a fertile ground for water companies, innovators, and startups. “India’s water treatment industry offers significant investment opportunities,” Popat asserts. “Key challenges are water stress, groundwater depletion, urban water scarcity, and infrastructure inadequacy. With increasing urbanization and industrialization, the Government of India’s proactive emphasis is on sustainable water management, including conservation strategies and water reuse mechanisms which provides ample opportunity to water companies, innovators and start-ups.”
Ion Exchange (India) has demonstrated robust growth in the fiscal year 2024-25, with a 21% year-on-year increase in operating income and an 18% rise in profit after tax for the first nine months. The company’s order book remains healthy, reflecting strong demand across industrial and municipal sectors. “For 9 months of FY 2024-25, on a consolidated basis our operating income increased around 21 per cent YOY. Profit after tax increased around 18 per cent on a YOY basis,” Popat reveals. “As of now, we have a healthy consolidated order book reflecting strong demand across industrial and municipal sectors. Aided also by strong enquiry pipeline, we expect FY 2025-26 to be equally promising.”
The company’s recent acquisition of MAPRIL in Portugal is a strategic move to strengthen its presence in Europe. This acquisition provides direct access to European markets and complements Ion Exchange’s strengths, opening up new opportunities in developed markets focused on sustainability and water reuse. “Our acquisition of MAPRIL in Portugal is a strategic move to strengthen our presence in Europe. It gives us direct access to European markets and brings us closer to customers in the region. With MAPRIL’s established presence in key business sectors, this acquisition complements our strengths and opens up new opportunities in developed markets that are increasingly focused on sustainability and water reuse,” Popat explains. “Over the foreseeable long term, we see this significantly contributing to our business performance.”
Ion Exchange’s Roha plant, expected to be operational in the first half of the current financial year, will significantly increase manufacturing volumes for world-class ion exchange resins and adsorbents. This facility will meet the growing global demand for high-performance ion exchange resins used in various industries, municipalities, and home water solutions. “Our Roha facility, which will significantly increase our manufacturing volumes for world-class ion exchange resins, adsorbents, etc., is expected to be operational during the first half of this financial year,” Popat states. “It will meet increasing global demand for our high-performance ion exchange resins-used in industries, municipalities and home water solutions.”
The company’s venture into membrane production under the HYDRAMEM brand has reduced import dependence and offered cost-effective membrane products for UF/RO/NF and MBR membranes in India and global markets. This initiative supports the “Make in India” vision and contributes positively to the company’s performance. “Our pioneering initiative of membrane manufacturing through the HYDRAMEM brand in 1987 led to development of membrane market and their application in India. By offering indigenously manufactured membranes meeting global standards in our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility we’ve been able to reduce import dependence, offer cost-effective membrane products to meet increasing demands for UF/RO/NF and MBR membranes in India and global markets we serve,” Popat notes. “This initiative also supports the “Make in India” vision. Membrane business will continue to positively contribute to our company’s performance.”
Ion Exchange (India) plays a transformative role in promoting sustainable water management, particularly in the context of climate change. The company offers 360-degree sustainable solutions for water and wastewater treatment, including Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems, desalination plants, and a range of effluent treatment solutions. “Ion Exchange’s strength lies in its unique ability to provide 360o sustainable solutions for water and wastewater treatment to industries, homes and communities – across both urban and rural geographies,” Popat emphasizes. “Our technologies and pioneering efforts in promoting sustainable water management concepts include 30+ Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems enhancing sustainability quotients of our customers; 15+ desalination plants in