MBBR Markets to Reach US$1.0 Billion by The Year 2017

A new report from Global Industry Analysts forecasts Moving Bed Bioreactor (MBBR) markets to reach US$1.0 billion by the year 2017. Growth will be primarily driven by stringent regulations governing discharge of wastewater into the environment and the growing need for more effective removal of pollutants. Expanding end-use applications into municipal drinking water treatment, fish farming, and treatment of animal wastewater, bodes well for the future of the market. Moving Bed Bioreactor (MBBR) is an efficient, cost-effective wastewater treatment technology. The novel technology efficiently deals with some of the critical challenges associated with the water and wastewater sector, such as rigid nutrient discharge regulations and efficient upgradation of existing treatment infrastructure. MBBR technology minimizes pollutant levels in wastewater streams before discharge of such water into collective water bodies such as lakes and rivers. MBBR process can be utilized for various applications based on wastewater quality and the discharge regulations. Given its use in water treatment, fortunes in the market are closely tied to the water treatment equipment industry. Dwindling water sources, growing industrialization and pollution levels have and will continue to drive demand for water treatment equipment into the future. Particularly noteworthy growth drivers are increasing demand for superior quality water and stringent regulations that limit waste discharge into the environment. The US and Europe currently have adopted stringent regulatory measures for water reuse at various industrial facilities. The water industry therefore requires specialized products that are capable of meeting the requirements of a rapidly changing global environment. Wastewater treatment technologies are focused on providing benefits such as enhanced water treatment and energy efficiency, generation of renewable energy/reduction of carbon footprint, and protection of wildlife and ecological habitats. In addition, the technologies facilitate in reducing costs due to waste minimization, resource recovery, water recycling and reuse. Sustainable water solutions encourage recovery of resources and energy from desalination facilities; Generation of biogas from wastewater treatment, and treatment of water and wastewater, sans chemicals usage. Growing global population and the subsequent focus on industrialization coupled with the waxing demand from agricultural sector are expected to fuel growth in the world water treatment market. All of these factors have resulted in the MBBR market witnessing a trickledown effect of the optimism surrounding the water treatment equipment market as a whole. The 2007-2009 recession interestingly pushed up the business case for Moving Bed Bioreactor (MBBR) as a result of a spurt in focus on energy efficiency, recycling, resource recovery, reuse, and wastage reduction, triggered by recession-induced financial weakness. Against this backdrop, demand for sustainable technologies in water as well as wastewater treatment benefited. The MBBR market during this period withstood challenges doled out by the soft economic environment such as, additional cost pressures & downward pressure on profitability and derailment of sensitive, new project installations plans in developed markets. Unabated growth in developing markets and the relatively resilient municipal spending on water treatment, collectively helped uphold growth patterns, making MBBR a recession resilient vector of the water treatment industry. The business case for water treatment technologies extends beyond temporary weakness/disruptions in economic climate, since sustainable management of water resources is critical and requires continuous investments, especially so, since industrial survival depends on the availability of pure water. In the upcoming years, demand will remain especially high for wastewater treatment technologies capable of offering 'greener' alternatives to reduce carbon footprint of treatment facilities, protect ecological habitats, and ensure higher efficiency of treatment. MBBR in this regard offers smaller carbon footprint, unrivalled efficiency in water treatment needed for industrial firms/municipalities to conform to stringent pollutant discharge limits. In addition, the market is optimally angled to corner a major chunk of opportunities coming from upgradation of water treatment plants/facilities. MBBR in this regard make for cost effective replacements of older systems, while simultaneously ensuring superior efficiency and capacity utilization of existing infrastructure, thus helping preserve investments in plant infrastructure. In conclusion, oxidation ponds and activated sludge plants primed for upgradation will resort MBBR technology as the technology of choice, given its lower capital costs, operation and maintenance costs. As stated by the new market research report on MBBR, the United States and Europe together represent the largest market worldwide. Asia Pacific is forecast to emerge as the fastest growing regional market with a projected CAGR of 28.5% over the analysis period. Use of Moving Bed Bioreactor (MBBR) in the Municipal Sector is poised to witness the highest growth over the analysis period. Source: waterworld.com