On Tuesday, 22nd of November 2022, Richard Bruins, CEO of Ferr-Tech, Felix Thalmann, CEO of the BÜFA Group, signed the contract and made their strategic partnership official at Ferr-Tech’s office in Meppel. With BÜFA’s investment of 2 million euros in the next years, Water Alliance Ferr-Tech plans to increase the total production capacity of FerSol® (Ferrate (VI) in liquid form), expand the team, start a local production facility in the US and invest in further research and development. With this cooperation, the German chemical company is further expanding its commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions.
Innovations for more sustainability
Sustainability is part of the DNA of Ferr-Tech and BÜFA. Ferr-Tech is the first company to provide the strong and environmentally friendly oxidizing chemical FerSol®, for industrial applications. Producing Ferrate(VI) in a stable and preservable form has been impossible until the Dutch scale-up developed a unique and patented process. It can be used to purify wastewater and it enables the reuse of water in the industry. In that sense it contributes to a sustainable circular economy. Ferr-Tech’s CMO and co-owner Judith le Fèvre explains: “BÜFA is a strong strategic partner for Ferr-Tech. They add value to our company in knowledge, network and core values.”
BÜFA is constantly expanding its portfolio to include sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical products. Through its own innovations in the area of products and processes, the company is consistently pursuing its goal of a sustainable circular economy. The strategy and actions are guided by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. “BÜFA with its experienced sales organization in various international markets and Ferr-Tech as an agile scale-up business with its innovative technology. With our stake in Ferr-Tech, BÜFA is further broadening its position in specialty chemicals”, explains Managing Director Natascha Fontanella.
From project partner to shareholder
Wis Award winner Ferr-Tech and BÜFA started their cooperation in April, when BÜFA Chemicals became the official international distributor of the new oxidizing agent FerSol®. This innovative and environmentally friendly product is based on the world’s most effective oxidant for water treatment Ferrate-VI and purifies residual water in such a way that manufacturing companies can largely reuse it in their processes. In this way, the product supports a sustainable water cycle in industrial processes.
“BÜFA and Ferr-Tech focus on sustainability in all of their actions. Both partners complement each other well. Past experiences show a strong foundation in cooperating towards our shared mission.” explains Richard Bruins, CEO of Ferr-Tech.
“Both partners use their expertise to provide innovative solutions for various industries. BÜFA invests in Ferr-Tech and thus in sustainable innovations for a future fit for the next generations”, says Felix Thalmann, CEO of the BÜFA Group.
About Ferr-Tech
Ferr-Tech is a worldwide market leader in Ferrate (VI) applications for industrial (waste) water purification. Last September, Ferr-Tech won the WIS award 2022. Previously, they’ve accepted the CES innovation award 2022. Both awards were received in light of the water treatment product FerSol®. Because of a patented process, Ferr-Tech makes the use of Ferrate (VI) products available for the (waste) water industry. From the head office in Meppel, Ferr-Tech runs the water lab and takes care of high value water testing, experiments and analyses for customers. More information on Ferr-Tech at www.ferr-tech.com.
About BÜFA
The BÜFA Group is an independent, medium-sized company in the chemical industry. The family business based in Oldenburg has its roots in a trade in colored wood, oils and chemicals that was founded in 1883. Today, BÜFA offers a large number of products and services internationally in the three business areas Chemicals, Cleaning and Composites. The customers include companies in the food processing, textile, industrial and vehicle cleaning, wind energy, rail and commercial vehicle sectors as well as boat and shipbuilding. The BÜFA Group currently has 650 employees. In 2021, BÜFA achieved sales of 343 million euros. Anchored in the corporate principles, BÜFA is strictly based on the principle of sustainability. BÜFA relies on “New Chemistry” and combines economic efficiency with social responsibility. More information on BÜFA at www.buefa.com.
Source: Ferr-Tech
