Praj plans to sell more water-treatment plants to textile maker

The Indian industry under pressure to reduce water consumption has created an opportunity for Praj Industries Ltd. (PRJ), a pune-based company to sell their water-treatment and recycling technology. Praj has the ability, technology & facility to design the most effective biomethanation, water recycle system, water reuse options and zero liquid discharge process as per the client’s unique requirements, no matter in which part of the world.

As part of their business expansion plan, in 2012, Praj has already acquired the Mumbai-based clean-water technology company Neela Systems Ltd.

Now taking advantage of the current water consumption problem faced by the textile makers in India is planning to sell more water purification and waste-treatment plants and in this endeavor, they are being supported by billionaires Vinod Khosla and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala .

Praj has set up a wastewater-treatment plant for textile makers in Tirupur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where more than 600 bleaching and dyeing units have had to close over the last two years due to a lack of effluent treatment.

The company is also currently building a zero-liquid discharge plant at Sirupooluvapatti in Tamil Nadu.

According to HSBC Holdings Plc, industrial water demand in India may surge 57 percent by 2025 with the country being the most water-stressed of the Group of 20 nations that includes China too. Water availability in India per person fell 15 percent in a decade, according to a 2011 census.

Praj is also looking to expand its water business abroad where it has a presence in 60 countries. It plans to sell zero-discharge wastewater-treatment plants to textile and mining companies as well.

The company known for its ethanol plants expects to earn as much as a fourth of revenue in India from its water business in five years, Chairman Pramod Chaudhari said in an interview. Praj reported 7.26 billion rupees ($117 million) in net sales in the financial year ended March 2013.