Singapore-based firm Optiqua Technologies has been recognised for its innovative water contamination detection and sensing technologies.
The provider of state-of-the-art optical biosensor solutions for the international water industry has been awarded the 2009 Asia Pacific New Product Innovation Award by Growth Partnership Company Frost & Sullivan for its water contamination detection and sensing technologies.
Research analysts at Frost & Sullivan evaluated Optiqua Technologies’ superior performance against key competitors on a range of criteria, including the innovative qualities of Optiqua’s technology platform and added value to its customers.
Research analyst Avanti Chitnis for Frost & Sullivan’s Technical Insights team said that Optiqua’s EventLab is an excellent tool that “offers high sensitivity as an early warning system for monitoring water quality”.
“Solutions offered by the company provide efficient sensor systems that are highly sensitive, provide data in real time and are easy to deploy at a relatively low total cost of ownership,” said Chitnis.
Optiqua’s managing director, Melchior van Wijlen, said the firm was “very honoured to receive this award”.
“It is an important recognition of the added value that our technology brings to the international water industry. It strengthens our ongoing ambition to develop new and innovative applications for our clients, using the unique benefits that our optical sensor technology provides”.
Optiqua Technologies, a subsidiary of Dutch optical sensor company Optisense, established its presence in Singapore at the end of 2007. The company chose Singapore based on the city-state’s position as a global hydrohub and business gateway to the Asia Pacific markets.
In 2008, the company collaborated with national water agency PUB to carry out testing of its sensor technology for applications in the water industry, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
To facilitate and support its expanding research and product development activities, the company recently moved to its new Research Centre at PUB’s WaterHub, a platform for technology, learning and networking.
“The collaboration with Optiqua reflects PUB’s commitment to research and technology to try to find more efficient ways of managing our water resources. PUB has been working very closely with Optiqua to test-bed and validate its sensor technology. The results have been promising, and there is great potential to use the technology to enhance PUB’s early warning capabilities,” said PUB’s Director of Technology and Water Quality, Mr Harry Seah.
The current focus of Optiqua Technologies is on its product lines Optiqua EventLab, an on-line early warning system that was first introduced at the Singapore International Water Week 2009, and its target sensor solution Optiqua MiniLab. The international market launch of the product lines is supported by joint collaboration programmes with launching partners in Asia and Europe. The company also explores new sensor applications for the water industry, leveraging on its highly sensitive optical biosensor technology.
Mr van Wijlen said, “We look forward to further expand our R&D activities in Singapore in close collaboration with our partners. It provides us with an important platform to service our clients with new and innovative sensor applications”.
