In early 2018, the Spanish engineering company TecnoConverting Engineering announced the creation of its French branch TecnoConverting France, in order to offer a better service and assistance to its clients in 'la Gaule', thus consolidating its international expansion, which started two years earlier in Portugal. As its parent company did in Spain, in just two years TecnoConverting France has become a leading company specialised in lamella clarifiers in the country. We talk with Olivier Savalli, Technical-Commercial Director of the French branch of TecnoConverting.
Question: First, Mr Savalli, can you tell us about the presence of TecnoConverting in the French market?
Answer: TecnoConverting France has been in the market for almost two years. The French market, even though an important one, is a market with strong competition. The technical value that TecnoConverting provides makes us stand out from other companies.
This market includes francophone Africa, Switzerland and Belgium. Slowly but surely, thanks to our engineering and our quality, we have been successful in gaining the trust of our clients and hence engage in water and waste water work.
This way, we offer the client a solution using the principle of lamella packs as well as engineering services including calculations, plans and technical support.
TecnoConverting France made a name for itself in France, to the point where currently it is a leading company in the clarifier industry
Q: Since its creation in 2018, how has the company's activity evolved in the country?
A: Starting with several small projects in the French market, TecnoConverting France made a name for itself in France, to the point where currently it is a leading company in the clarifier industry.
The evolution in France results from several factors: my own personal experience of over twenty years in the sector, and the experience of TecnoConverting in exports, where it has been present for fifteen years.
For these reasons, clients trust TecnoConverting, asking for solutions to their clarifier issues, with lamellar modules, scrapers, engineering and currently aeration. The truth is that the evolution of TecnoConverting in France has been very fast over the past two years.
We spend a significant amount of time listening to our clients to improve the products in our solutions, and this is part of what guides our development in France.
Q: What are the main water challenges in France?
A: France is one of those countries where technologies are still under development. Nowadays, the main problems are saving water and waste water reuse. Concerning saving water, it entails controlling the distribution with important renovations to pipelines in order to minimise leaks. Concerning waste water reuse, we are seeing how important projects are being finalised, although health and administrative regulations are currently a barrier.
But since early July there has been an important step forward in the evolution of legislation. For some projects it is possible to reuse waste water in a golf course or a football stadium.
France, like many countries, is at the point where it is saving water, and in our business constant innovation is a must. Currently there are many new high-tech products in France to increase the efficiency of water treatment and ultimately use less water.
Our turnkey solutions, which include engineering, consulting and manufacture, provide even more value added to our clients' projects
Q: What is the current situation of waste water treatment in France?
A: Water treatment in France works with very good quality reject water, and good distribution in most of the areas. Plants are evolving to optimise or improve the treatment. There are, like elsewhere, some problem points, but the State and the companies are doing everything possible to solve them. The law is very strict and the controls are significant.
I would say the situation regarding both drinking water and waste water is quite satisfactory.
The only difficult part is the space available for new water treatment plants, although for us it helps, because it allows us to propose technical solutions without changes to the built plant.
For me, this sector undergoing development is the most important thing heading into the future, and that enables innovation.
Q: In this regard, how did you decide to enter the French water and waste water market?
A structure like that of TecnoConverting with strong technical value added and in constant development is providing new solutions to the French market.
Moreover, our turnkey solutions, which include engineering, consulting and manufacture, provide even more value added to our clients' projects.
I also believe that our company supports our clients with the implementation of innovative solutions, because in France a large portion of the projects are revamping projects.
With our workshop, we offer the possibility of doing custom projects or pieces for a unique project. In France we have a word for that, solutions for 'moutons a 5 pattes' (sheep with 5 legs).
In France, plants are currently evolving to optimise or improve water treatment
Q: Which of TecnoConverting's projects in France would you highlight?
A: I don't know if I have to emphasise a single project. In fact, early on, a large portion of our projects consisted of replacing lamella after the existing structure broke or collapsed. What I would like to stress from these projects is, however, the combination of factors that make TecnoConverting France the strong company that (I believe) it is:
- Engineering.
- Implementation quality.
- Reaction capacity.
- Capacity to find a solution.
- Turnaround times.
Q: Finally, what are the business expectations of TecnoConverting in the country?
A: Among many of the novelties that TecnoConverting will present during the coming year, we are developing other products such as the Thruster system (diffuser removable system), which I believe can be a real advantage for operators of water treatment plants. It is a technical solution that allows removing the diffusers without a crane.
Finally, we want to continue our progress towards consolidating the presence of the company in the industry of clarifiers and lamella clarifiers.
