Aquafortus has signed a collaboration agreement with GS Engineering & Construction Corp. (GS E&C) to develop and commercialise wastewater treatment solutions for South Korea’s secondary battery industry.
The agreement marks Aquafortus’ entry into the Korean market and focuses on applying its proprietary ABX™ technology to treat high-salinity wastewater generated by battery manufacturing facilities.
Wastewater from secondary battery production can contain total dissolved solids (TDS) levels of up to 150,000 mg/l, posing challenges for conventional membrane and thermal treatment systems. As battery production expands, manufacturers are seeking cost-effective and energy-efficient technologies that enable brine concentration and water reuse.
Aquafortus’ ABX™ system is a non-thermal desalination and brine concentration technology designed for high-salinity industrial wastewater. The process uses absorbent chemistry to remove water from brine, concentrating salts while allowing treated water to be recovered for reuse.
Under the agreement, the companies will undertake a pilot project in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, to treat approximately 80 cubic metres of secondary battery wastewater per day. The pilot is intended to assess the technical and economic performance of the technology and support potential commercial deployment across Korea’s battery manufacturing sector.
Hoshang Subawalla, Chief Executive Officer of Aquafortus, said: “We are proud to partner with GS E&C to introduce ABX technology to the Republic of Korea. The rapid growth of the secondary battery sector requires next-generation wastewater solutions that can operate efficiently at high salinity. Through this collaboration, we aim to demonstrate a scalable, energy-efficient pathway for industrial water reuse.”
The companies said the partnership aims to support the development of advanced environmental infrastructure solutions in the region’s growing battery industry.
