On May 6, Hydro International in Portland acquired one of its biggest competitors in the wastewater treatment industry and expanded its East Coast presence to the West Coast. Hydro, which designs products to control and treat stormwater and wastewater, has for years jockeyed for customers with Portland, Ore.-based Eutek Systems Inc. The two companies were the leading North American providers of non-mechanical systems that remove grit from wastewater before it gets treated, according to Hydro CEO Steve Hides. "Our paths crossed all the time," Hides says.
Suspended solids carried in water can cause a range of harmful effects in rivers, lakes and oceans, making the capture and removal of these solids critical for effective environmental protection. To address this problem, the project focused on optimi