2017 Global Liquid Waste Treatment Visionary Innovation … · 2017-08-15 · waste is one of the...

2017 Global Liquid Waste Treatment Visionary Innovation Leadership Award

BEST PRACTICES RESEARCH

© Frost & Sullivan 2017 2 “We Accelerate Growth”

Contents

Background and Company Performance ........................................................................ 3

Industry Challenges .............................................................................................. 3

Focus on the Future and Best Practices Implementation for PROXA............................. 3

Conclusion........................................................................................................... 5

Significance of Visionary Innovation Leadership ............................................................. 6

Understanding Visionary Innovation Leadership ............................................................. 6

Key Benchmarking Criteria .................................................................................... 7

The Intersection between 360-Degree Research and Best Practices Awards ....................... 7

Research Methodology .......................................................................................... 7

Best Practices Recognition: 10 Steps to Researching, Identifying, and Recognizing Best Practices ................................................................................................................... 8

About Frost & Sullivan ................................................................................................ 9



Background and Company Performance

Industry Challenges

Water remains a scarce, valuable resource for much of the developing world due to

droughts, mismanagement of resources, and contamination. Increasing amounts of water

are used in industrial, manufacturing, and mining processes. The demand for liquid waste

management technologies that are energy efficient, environmentally friendly, sustainable,

and cost-effective drives the need for novel solutions to address waste disposal issues. As

a result, the global liquid waste management technologies market showed an annual

compound growth rate of 7.4% in 2015 and valued at 38 USD billion in 2015 and expects

to reach 54 billion USD by 2020.

Key challenges facing the liquid waste management industry include lack of safe disposal

methods for brine salt extracted from purifying water reserves and slow technological

adoption. Stringent laws from environmental regulatory bodies limit disposal of salts

derived from treating wastewater into the environment—putting pressure on both

industrial sectors and water treatment technology companies. As a result, continuous

innovation is required to develop efficient and cost-effective solutions.

Focus on the Future and Best Practices Implementation for PROXA

PROXA: Providing Innovative Solutions to Old Problems

PROXA commits to innovation and, therefore, builds and develops multiple solutions for

treating polluted water. The company focuses on mineral resources, energy production,

chemical industries and consumer goods, specifically to reduce liquid waste and extract

value from it. It differentiates itself from competitors by providing a long-term holistic

solution for its clients. For instance, it does not just remove waste from the water; it also

assists clients in optimising existing processes to make them more economic and efficient.

Technologies such as Cascade and Glacier which enable the recovery of valuable by-

products for re-use from concentrated waste brine is exemplary of PROXA’s innovation,

strong research and development presence, and overall commitment to solving difficult

water treatment problems. On a global scale, PROXA is among the first companies to

commercialize Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC) on an industrial scale, making them a

world leader in implementing the EFC process for industrial purposes.

Eutectic Freeze Crystallization: A Game-changer for Liquid Waste Management

Until now, the liquid waste management market successfully developed thermal and non-

thermal zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technologies to purify contaminated water for

numerous industries. However, brine treatment technologies are lagging behind the needs

of customers and often require the establishment of storage dilution facilities with waste

often discarded back into the environment. The EFC process implemented by PROXA is a



game changer to the liquid waste management market enabling clients to treat brine

extracted from effluent into usable products.

EFC is a modified process which originates from research completed by the University of

Cape Town in South Africa. The process was modified to enhance scalability, be energy

efficient, and ensure commercialisation success. The process works by bringing brine or an

acidic solution down to its lowest possible temperature of solidification, known as the

eutectic point. At this point, the brine or acid crystallize, and the salts sink to the bottom

while the water turns to ice and floats on top, efficiently separating the water and highly

purified salts. A variety of salts can extract from mixed brines at high purities including

sodium sulfate, phosphate salts, calcium carbonate, and others. These by-products can be

used in construction, for manufacturing detergents, and fertilizers, among other things. In

contrast to traditional and competing technologies, EFC combines lower capital and

operating cost with the recovery of valuables from waste streams at low-temperatures.

Therefore PROXA’s clients can establish sustainable, profitable, and environmentally friendly

solutions.

Prioritizing Growth through Strategic Alliances

Over the past 30 years of its business, PROXA experienced impressive financial,

geographical, and technological growth. PROXA achieves a double digit annual growth rate,

indicating steady and sustainable growth. This financial success allowed for expansion into

South America and the Middle East. In addition to this, the company has a strong presence

across Africa and Australia. PROXA’s expertise is now highly sought in the mining, oil and

gas, petrochemical, food and beverage, steel, paper and power industries of these regions.

PROXA increased its technical competencies and enhanced service offering through the

strategic acquisitions of smaller companies. This strategy enables PROXA to serve clients at

several points in the waste treatment value chain—from ideation, design to creation right

through to operation, maintenance and optimization. This holistic approach sets the

company apart from its competitors.

In addition to working with other institutions, PROXA builds its unique approach to

creating strategic alliances within the company—ensuring that top management,

technicians, and financiers work together and are well informed on activities outside their

respective fields. PROXA employs a flat organizational structure to ensure approachability

between managers and other staff, aiding in the smooth completion of projects. The

company’s stellar operational efficiency is guaranteed through four key practices:

1. Optimization: PROXA always strives for optimization in all areas.

2. Entrepreneurialism: The Company encourages its employees to take on

entrepreneurial ventures within the company, allowing them to explore their

interests while growing PROXA’s capabilities.



3. Cooperation: PROXA depends on this third important pillar to maintain operational

excellence. The company ensures effective collaboration between all stakeholders

by creating strategic alliances between them and implementing efficient

information sharing processes.

4. Empowerment: The Company ensures that all staff members working on a project

have the adequate skills and knowledge to address client queries in a timely and

efficient manner. Empowerment allows PROXA to maintain efficiency.

Mega Trends Propel PROXA Forward

The demand for liquid waste management technologies which can reduce or eliminate

waste is one of the Mega Trends affecting research and development processes within the

waste management industry. Innovating to zero implies that companies are manufacturing

products and technology which aid in achieving zero waste, emissions, and defects.

PROXA’s zero liquid discharge technologies can recover 99% liquid from waste; therefore,

able to meet most customers’ needs. In addition to this, PROXA’s EFC technology can

purify brine salts up to 99.8% purity, allowing reuse.

According to Frost & Sullivan research, six new Mega Cities with populations above 5

million will emerge by 2025 in South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, and

Uganda. Rapid urbanization within emerging and new markets in Africa will necessitate

increased investments in infrastructure to ensure that industries can meet demand.

Disposal of diluted salt brines back into water streams endangers the environment and its

inhabitants. PROXA’s implementation of the EFC process significantly reduces the

occurrence of this problem within industrial sectors—further demonstrating how the

company plans for future water infrastructure and resources.

PROXA provides above industry average water management solutions to global companies

such as Anglo American, Glencore, Barrick Gold, Sasol, Shell, Nestle, AB Inbev, Arcelor

Mittal and Engie, to name a few. Association with these companies is a testament to the

work quality produced by the company and also serves to increase brand equity.

Conclusion

PROXA provides world-class liquid waste treatment technologies for the entire water value

chain. Its ability to manufacture technologies which innovate to zero waste is exemplary

of its prime research and development focus. The EFC technology which enables 99.8%

purification of brine salts extracted from the removal of water from liquid waste,

showcases PROXA’s compelling service offering and its state of the art technologies. With

its strong overall performance, PROXA earns Frost & Sullivan’s 2017 Global Visionary

Innovation Leadership Award in the liquid waste treatment market.



Significance of Visionary Innovation Leadership

A visionary innovation leadership position enables a market participant to deliver highly

competitive products and solutions that transform the way individuals and businesses

perform their daily activities. Such products and solutions set new, long-lasting trends in

how technologies are deployed and consumed by businesses and end users. Most

important, they deliver unique and differentiated benefits that can greatly improve

business performance as well as individuals’ work and personal lives. These improvements

are measured by customer demand, brand strength, and competitive positioning.

Understanding Visionary Innovation Leadership Visionary Innovation is the ability to innovate today in the light of perceived changes and

opportunities that will arise from Mega Trends in the future. It is the ability to scout and

detect unmet (and as yet undefined) needs and proactively address them with disruptive

solutions that cater to new and unique customers, lifestyles, technologies, and markets.

At the heart of visionary innovation is a deep understanding of the implications and global

ramifications of Mega Trends, leading to correct identification and ultimate capture of

niche and white-space market opportunities in the future.



Key Benchmarking Criteria

For the Visionary Innovation Leadership Award, Frost & Sullivan analysts independently

evaluated two key factors—Focus on the Future and Best Practices Implementation—

according to the criteria identified below.

Focus on the Future

Criterion 1: Focus on Unmet Needs

Criterion 2: Visionary Scenarios through Mega Trends

Criterion 3: Growth Pipeline

Criterion 4: Blue Ocean Strategy

Criterion 5: Growth Performance

Best Practices Implementation

Criterion 1: Vision Alignment

Criterion 2: Process Design

Criterion 3: Operational Efficiency

Criterion 4: Technological Sophistication

Criterion 5: Company Culture

The Intersection between 360-Degree Research and Best

Practices Awards

Research Methodology

Frost & Sullivan’s 360-degree research

methodology represents the analytical

rigor of our research process. It offers a

360-degree-view of industry challenges,

trends, and issues by integrating all 7 of

Frost & Sullivan's research methodologies.

Too often, companies make important

growth decisions based on a narrow

understanding of their environment,

leading to errors of both omission and

commission. Successful growth strategies

are founded on a thorough understanding

of market, technical, economic, financial,

customer, best practices, and demographic

analyses. The integration of these research

disciplines into the 360-degree research

methodology provides an evaluation

platform for benchmarking industry players and for identifying those performing at best-

in-class levels.

360-DEGREE RESEARCH: SEEING ORDER IN

THE CHAOS



Best Practices Recognition: 10 Steps to Researching,

Identifying, and Recognizing Best Practices

Frost & Sullivan awards follow a 10-step process to evaluate award candidates and assess

their fit with select best practice criteria. The reputation and integrity of the Awards are

based on close adherence to this process.

STEP OBJECTIVE KEY ACTIVITIES OUTPUT

1 Monitor, target, and screen

Identify award recipient candidates from around the globe

Conduct in-depth industry research

Identify emerging sectors Scan multiple geographies

Pipeline of candidates who potentially meet all best-practice criteria

2 Perform 360-degree research

Perform comprehensive, 360-degree research on all candidates in the pipeline

Interview thought leaders and industry practitioners

Assess candidates’ fit with best-practice criteria

Rank all candidates

Matrix positioning all candidates’ performance relative to one another

3

Invite thought leadership in best practices

Perform in-depth examination of all candidates

Confirm best-practice criteria Examine eligibility of all candidates

Identify any information gaps

Detailed profiles of all ranked candidates

4

Initiate research director review

Conduct an unbiased evaluation of all candidate profiles

Brainstorm ranking options Invite multiple perspectives on candidates’ performance

Update candidate profiles

Final prioritization of all eligible candidates and companion best-practice positioning paper

5

Assemble panel of industry experts

Present findings to an expert panel of industry thought leaders

Share findings Strengthen cases for candidate eligibility

Prioritize candidates

Refined list of prioritized award candidates

6

Conduct

global industry review

Build consensus on award candidates’ eligibility

Hold global team meeting to review all candidates

Pressure-test fit with criteria Confirm inclusion of all eligible candidates

Final list of eligible award candidates, representing success stories worldwide

7 Perform quality check

Develop official award consideration materials

Perform final performance benchmarking activities

Write nominations Perform quality review

High-quality, accurate, and creative presentation of nominees’ successes

8

Reconnect with panel of

industry experts

Finalize the selection of the best-practice award recipient

Review analysis with panel Build consensus Select winner

Decision on which company performs best against all best-practice criteria

9 Communicate recognition

Inform award recipient of award recognition

Present award to the CEO Inspire the organization for continued success

Celebrate the recipient’s performance

Announcement of award and plan for how recipient can use the award to enhance the brand

10 Take strategic action

Upon licensing, company may share award news with stakeholders and customers

Coordinate media outreach Design a marketing plan Assess award’s role in future strategic planning

Widespread awareness of recipient’s award status among investors, media personnel, and employees



About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth

and achieve best in class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's

Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined

research and best practice models to drive the generation, evaluation and implementation

of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages almost 50 years of experience in

partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment

community from 31 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit

http://www.frost.com.

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