IN FOCUS

The Networking Cube at the Wilopark in Dortmund, the market partner meeting centre of the multinational technology company Wilo, has been honoured with two prestigious awards. This striking building at the Wilo Group’s headquarters has received the German Brand Award in the “Excellent Architecture” category and the DGNB Gold Certification for its sustainable design.

Thordon Bearings Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Progreen as its exclusive distributor for Azerbaijan. The formal arrangement strengthens Thordon’s strategic presence across the Caspian region and marks another important step in delivering its high performance bearing and seal solutions to key sectors including marine, hydro power, and industrial markets.

Reliable access to water is essential for agriculture, construction, and development – and it often starts with efficient water well drilling. In the Spanish countryside near Zaragoza, a local drilling company is relying on Atlas Copco’s compact, powerful, and fuel-efficient X-Air⁺ 750-25 portable air compressor to carry out well drilling projects with ease and confidence.

Europump, the European Pump Association, announces the appointment of Alexandre Lacour as its new President for the period 2025–2027. He succeeds Lubos Michlik, CEO of Sigma and member of the Executive Council of the Czech Pump Manufacturers Association (CPMA), who has successfully led the association over the past two years.

Getriebebau NORD GmbH & Co. KG in Bargteheide has been awarded the EcoVadis gold medal this year. Having scored 78/100 points, the drive manufacturer is part of the top 4% of all globally rated companies while raising its score by 10 points compared to last year.

German Water Partnership e. V. (GWP) and the Mykolaiv Water Hub (MWH) have officially launched a joint project to promote knowledge and technology transfer in the fields of water and wastewater management, sustainable municipal infrastructure, energy efficiency, and climate protection in Ukraine.

Armstrong Fluid Technology has launched two new enhancements to its Envelope platform—an integrated digital solution engineered for optimizing HVAC fluid flow using performance mapping, advanced data analytics and lifecycle services.

In a period of unprecedented change and scrutiny for the UK water sector, UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) have announced a significant advancement in accessing its critical water research, with the launch of a groundbreaking bespoke AI search tool. This initiative directly supports the recommendations of the recently published Independent Water Commission (IWC) final report, which highlighted the crucial role of collaborative, evidence-based research in navigating the sector’s profound transformation.

The British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) is proud to reaffirm its ongoing commitment to championing engineering excellence across the pump sector through its highly regarded and long-standing annual awards programme. The 2026 Pump Industry Awards are now open for entries, and the BPMA is calling on the industry to get involved and celebrate the innovations, individuals, and initiatives that continue to power this vital sector.

Publication of the Independent Water Commission’s Final Report, alongside new legislation and updated national standards, marks a major turning point in the wider adoption of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) by water companies and developers, writes Alex Stephenson, director, SuDSPlanter