Inox Partners With Swedish Firm To Make Drinking Water Microfactories

Vadodara-based INOX India Limited (INOXCVA) has announced a technology partnership that aims to tackle one of India’s water challenges — producing safe drinking water at the source, wherever available. INOX India is partnering with Sweden’s Wayout International AB to manufacture decentralised drinking water “microfactories” in India.

Unlike conventional drinking water systems that depend on centralised treatment plants and extensive distribution networks, the compact Wayout units — which Inox will now manufacture — are designed to produce drinking water at the point of need. Each unit can draw water from virtually any available source__ sea, a borewell, industrial water, brackish water, river, lake or municipal supply — and subject it to advanced purification and controlled mineralisation before dispensing safe drinking water on demand. The process is monitored digitally in real time, while the automated system is designed to function with minimal human intervention, the company said.

Under the collaboration, INOXCVA will manufacture Wayout’s proprietary water microfactories in India using its expertise in precision engineering, automation, modular fabrication and stainless-steel process systems. The partnership marks Inox India’s entry into the emerging decentralised water infrastructure segment, “strengthening India’s role as a manufacturing base for advanced water technologies”.

Deepak Acharya, CEO, INOX India Limited, told this newspaper, “At INOXCVA, we have always believed that advanced engineering and manufacturing capabilities can be leveraged to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The discussions with Wayout initially began for supplying stainless steel kegs for transporting water. But, at Inox, we have built capabilities that enable us to manufacture highly complex equipment and systems for some of the world’s most demanding industries… Water is among the most challenging requirements for the world and even India. Therefore, we are looking forward to bringing in Wayout’s sustainable solution of the decentralised water infrastructure sector.”

Acharya states that INOX will first set up a prototype of Wayout’s proprietary water technology platform to test the scale and efficiency of the project and consider launching the product directly. “The thought is that we can produce and distribute water, without using the single-use plastic bottles, through our precision manufacturing and stainless steel kegs. Inox will offer solutions across multiple sectors, including hospitality, residential communities, industrial facilities, and infrastructure projects. We also have a base with a chain of multiplex theatres across the country, where this model can be implemented.”

According to Acharya, the technology could have its greatest impact in remote and underserved communities in India, where access to clean drinking water remains unreliable, even in case of the availability of local water sources.

Ulf Stenerhag, Chairman and CEO, Wayout International AB, told this newspaper that the company is looking at commercial orders in Latin America, Middle East and Asia. Stenerhag said, “ Together, we aim to make sustainable drinking water solutions more accessible .”

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More