VIRTUAL INTERNATIONALISATION WITH THE U.S. WATER SECTOR
One of the strategic focuses of the CWP is internationalisation and supporting its members in finding opportunities and developing business actions outside the domestic market in order to globalise and grow in the water sector. Efforts along these lines have been directly affected by the current pandemic situation and the impossibility of attending key industry events and congresses, most of which have been cancelled or postponed. A clear example of this is the WEFTEC show, a benchmark event in the water market, which is held annually in the United States and is one of the priority markets for CWP members.
From CWP we attended the last two editions of the WEFTEC fair that was held in Chicago in September 2019 and New Orleans in 2018 with a joint stand with several companies associated with the support of ACCIÓ. From this event it is worth highlighting the subsequent visit and meeting with American companies at the facilities of the American water cluster, the Water Council (TWC), in Milwaukee, one of the most important ecosystems of the water sector in the world, and with whom CWP maintains a strategic relationship, and a stable agreement of 3 years of duration from which commercial opportunities have been contracted by our associate
Despite the impossibility of travelling, from the CWP we have adapted the virtual format to continue with the internationalization of Catalan SMEs and for this reason we continue working on the organization of online meetings to give visibility to our members and promote international relations. After the event co-organised with the Dutch WaterAlliance cluster in November 2020, on 14 January 2021 we organised a joint meeting with the Water Council to exchange knowledge, technologies and pioneering products in the water sector. During this meeting, which also counted with the participation of Ms. Mireia López from ACCIÓ and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, 6 members of CWP had the opportunity to present their companies and their needs in the US market; Aeris, Sensotec, Tucai, ITC Dosing Pumps, Bluephage and HYDS. On the other hand, Ms. Karen Frost, TWC Vice President of Economic Development, introduced and followed the presentations of the American candidates: Stonehouse Water Technologies, Clear Water Industries, Cornocob, Roving Blue and UWM Water Technology Accelerator.
Afterwards, an example of successful cooperation between two companies (Catalan and American) fruit of the collaboration of both clusters was presented, namely the Catalan company SIGMA DAF Clarifiers and the American company Clearwater Industries, of which Mr. Joan Ibáñez CEO of SIGMA DAF Clarifiers shared with all the attendees the progress and the experience of this cooperation. Joan Ibáñez CEO of SIGMA DAF will share with all the assistants the advantages and the experience of this cooperation that will allow the commercialization of SIGMA DAF products in the American market.
CWP currently collaborates with other water clusters in Europe, USA and Australia.
With the support of:
