HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH
Beyond Chemistry, Water: DN Chemicals Expands with a New Branch Devoted to Water Treatment Interview with Silvia Borghi, Water Treatment Division Business Development Manager, and André Bernasconi, General Manager of DN Chemicals Caleppio di Settala (Milan), Italy
DN Chemicals complemented its division devoted to the treatment of water generated in coating booths, cooling towers, and boilers with an upgraded range of products and expertise in the field of waste water, collected in particular from coating and galvanising departments as well as from the industrial processes of the textile, pharmaceutical, tanning, cosmetics, and many other sectors.
“W
ater is the essence of all industrial processes, regardless
more than 70% of the world’s freshwater use and pollution.” In more
of the sector,” begins Silvia Borghi, the new head of DN
detail, the report highlights significant differences between low- and
Chemicals’ water treatment division, during the interview
high-income regions. “A regional distribution shows that industrial water
our editorial staff conducted with both her and André Bernasconi, the
withdrawal averages 17% of total water use in high-income countries
General Manager of this Milan-based company belonging to the Dollmar
but only 2% in low-income countries. The average for industrial use
Group and specialising in solutions for surface pre-treatment, industrial
hides a huge range, from 49–96% in the European Union (with the
water treatment, and paint stripping. In fact, the increasingly essential
highest level in Estonia) to 0–5% in many countries of various income
need to provide services for consumption reduction and optimisation,
levels in other regions.”
environmental compliance, and cost reduction has recently become the
This data confirms that no industrial process can be carried out without
core business of a new branch of this company.
the use of water, neither within the production operations themselves
According to the United Nations World Water Development Report
nor for the cleaning of plants and facilities. The industry therefore plays
20231, “while the percentage of industrial and energy-related use is
a key role in the responsible management of this important resource.
much lower than that attributed to agricultural use (30% compared
Indeed, the report concludes: “Companies within industries that rely
with 70%, Ed.), it is nonetheless a considerable amount of water that
heavily on water for their core business – such as manufacturing
requires careful stewardship in the watersheds that industry and energy
of goods or production of inputs and raw materials – have become
share with so many other users. On the other hand, these data do not
increasingly attuned to water stress and the risks it poses to business
provide a complete picture, as it has been estimated that two-thirds of
interests. As a result, many companies are exploring and testing ways
all water consumption is involved in corporate supply chains. Supporting
to reduce or mitigate water risks across their business and supply
this estimate, companies in seven major sectors – food, textile, energy,
chains.”
manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and mining – are affecting
“That is exactly where our new activity fits in,” explains Borghi. “We would like to create a new industrial culture of water, turning it from
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N. 84 - NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
an expense item associated with excessive costs into an added value