Another IFAT is complete, and after a busy few days in Munich, there’s plenty for the team at ELIQUO HYDROK to reflect on.

As one of the water industry’s leading global events, IFAT 2026 once again brought together manufacturers, technology providers, contractors, utilities and innovators from across the sector. The scale of the exhibition was impressive, but what stood out most was the quality of conversations taking place throughout the week.

Across the halls there was a clear focus on practical innovation. Discussions centred around efficiency, operational resilience, sustainability and how the industry can continue to deliver better performance with tighter budgets and increasing environmental pressures. It was encouraging to see so much emphasis on solutions that not only push technology forward but also provide genuine operational value for end users.

For the ELIQUO HYDROK team, IFAT was also a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships with existing partners and customers while building new connections across the sector. Face-to-face conversations remain hugely important in our industry, and events like IFAT provide the perfect setting to share ideas, discuss challenges and explore future opportunities.

We were also delighted to spend time with colleagues from Mecana AG on their stand. As the largest installer of pile cloth media filters in Europe, with more than 750 installations and counting, it was a great opportunity to talk about the continued evolution of this technology and the role it can play in helping operators meet tighter performance targets. It was particularly pleasing to mark the signing of innovation trials with a UK municipal water company for the deployment of pile cloth media on a clean water site, underlining the growing confidence in the technology and its wider application. We were also proud to support Antonio Hernandes during his informative presentation on the evolution of pile cloth media over the decades, which reinforced why Mecana continues to set the benchmark in this field. Alongside this, it was valuable to connect with colleagues from Jaeger EnviroTech and continue conversations following the recent announcement of our UK distribution agreement, sharing ideas on how proven aeration and IFAS technologies can support AMP8 delivery and beyond.

The event also highlighted the growing momentum behind several of our own solution areas, particularly around sludge drying technologies, methane removal, filtration and digital monitoring technologies. Seeing the level of interest and engagement around these topics reinforced the importance of continuing to deliver reliable, high-performance solutions that meet the evolving needs of the market.

ELOVAC® Demonstration Unit

Our full-size ELOVAC® demonstration unit in the outdoor display area also generated strong interest throughout the event. Even with some unhelpful weather at times, visitors were keen to understand how vacuum degassing can help operators tackle one of the sector’s key challenges by capturing residual methane from digested sludge before it is released during downstream handling.

Alongside methane reduction, ELOVAC® also offers wider process benefits through improved dewatering, reduced polymer demand, lower phosphate return loads and the mitigation of struvite formation. Its compact, modular design and ability to be integrated quickly into existing treatment works made it especially relevant to many of the conversations taking place at IFAT around practical, rapidly deployable solutions. It was encouraging to see this reflected in the recognition the technology is receiving through current industry award nominations focused on innovation, circularity and decarbonisation.

Site Visit

A particular highlight of the week was the visit to Strass Wastewater Treatment Works in Austria, where we were joined by visitors from Severn Trent Water and Mott MacDonald. For both organisations, the opportunity to see a live ELODRY® installation in operation and to speak directly with the site operators was especially valuable.

The visit brought the benefits of the technology into sharp focus, from its compact modular design through to the operational and financial advantages of low-temperature sludge drying. Just as importantly, it gave our guests open access to the practical lessons that come from day-to-day operation, helping to move discussions beyond theory and into real-world application.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to the team at Strass for being such generous hosts. The level of interest on the day was clear, visitors saw immediate potential, and conversations are continuing.

Of course, IFAT is not just about technology. It is also about people. From early morning meetings through to long days on the exhibition floor, the week was packed with conversations, collaboration and plenty of miles covered along the way.

A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to meet with the team throughout the event. We return with fresh ideas, valuable insight and plenty of momentum for the months ahead.