with ποΈ Haris Kadrispahic β Head of Innovation @ LiqTech International
π§ LiqTech is a technology company specialized in high-end membrane solutions
What we covered:
π How does a Danish Company aiming to develop and produce water and air filtration technologies end-up being NASDAQ listed?
π What makes Silicon Carbide a very special material, when it comes to membrane technologies?
π 3 Reasons to prefer ceramic over polymer membranes
π How LiqTech identified the need for a new membrane-type by exploring a new market vertical and how this translates into a brand new hybrid technology
π What might be the future of membrane treatments?
π₯ β¦ and of course, we concluded with the π§ππ₯ππ πππ§π π¦πͺππ¨π©ππ€π£π¨ π₯Β
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Teaser:
Resources:
β‘οΈ Send your warm regards to Haris on LinkedIn
β‘οΈ Visit LiqTechβs website
is on Linkedin β‘οΈ
Full Transcript:
These are computer generated, so expect some typos π
Antoine Walter:
Hi, Harris, welcome to the show. Hello. Iβm glad to have you here. Actually, you know, I really enjoyed to start for the postcards and I think itβs the first time that that can start with the postcard from Denmark. So what can you tell me about Copenhagen? Copenhagen
Haris Kadrispahic:
Is a fantastic city. We have a fantastic people, fantastic nature. And for the last 10 years or so, we have also one of the worldβs best cuisines, some of the worldβs most famous restaurants or the ones at least that we know the prices are here, Noma to be one of them. Itβs bit probably unexpected the spore for this Danish capital to be Mecca of the restaurants and food. But thatβs the reality.
Antoine Walter:
So you wanted to start by testing how French I am. So to see if Iβm going to debate with you about what is the best food and what, okay. Iβd take that as a postcard.
Haris Kadrispahic:
I only tend to look at the prices prices and the prices of course, and these restaurants donβt worry. Iβm not going to any of them.
Antoine Walter:
Good. letβs start with you actually, can you tell us a bit about your backgrounds and then we will have a look at what youβre doing right now, but I want to know where youβre coming from.
Haris Kadrispahic:
Well I have a very colorful background. I am Iβm originally from Bosnia and I moved to Denmark at the age of 13 and had the chance to actually learn about this culture from scratch. And I tend to say that I still keep a lot of my Bosnian culture, but then I modified it through years to be a completely Dane with the, with some more flavor to this Danish lifestyle in professional life. I am a graduate from Copenhagen business school. So not a, a typical technical person youβll ever meet. Even though I started in technical field, I ended up with a commercial background. So Iβm trying to combine lots of different flavors to my day to day work.
Antoine Walter:
Thatβs an interesting one. You know, our industry is full of engineers, which donβt do engineering and try to do some business. And new are quite the opposite. You have a business background and youβre doing quite technical stuff. How did that happen?
Haris Kadrispahic:
They wanted to work for the government. I always wanted to work for some sort of government agency. I started my early days working for the government. And then after my school finished, I found this work and environmental agency. And through the environmental agency, I met a couple of people who were working in the area of what the treatment and was invited to an interview. I remember now several years later that my boss told me, you know, what, the, this ceramic stuff that you are doing really quite far from that. And he said, well, donβt you worry about ceramics. Weβll teach you everything about ceramics, but we need you to do is to keep everything floating, to keep everything organized and to keep innovating. So, yeah, thatβs how I started, but you know what? It went a couple of years later, I was involved in pretty much everything. So, so today Iβm glad with the, how things developed. So Iβm not Iβm, Iβm really trying to play my strengths here.
Antoine Walter:
So you mentioned the ceramics, you mentioned the innovation. I think that leads us to your actual role. So youβre head of innovation at leak tech. So what is lik tech actually, and a bit further to that? What is lik tech? I saw that lik tech is listed in the NASDAQ. So you are a business guy doing technical stuff in a company in the Waterworld, which is listed in the NASDAQ. Sounds like, you know, a unicorn, but very special unicorn.
Haris Kadrispahic:
And yeah, I mean, itβs, as I said, itβs kind of a special place to be, and we are a special type of company, I would say. Well, first of all, about LinkedIn, LinkedIn is a manufacturer of Silicon carbide, the membrane for the most part membrane systems and a membrane solutions in general for treatment of wastewater and also exhaust gases. Sometimes people are forgetting that we are also working with diesel particulate filters. Itβs wonderful. One of our businesses, basically in our interval, in our company that says this is in order to keep water clean and sky blue. So I couldnβt I couldnβt make it more poetic, but then the ham, of course, the whole business spectrum of water treatment which is we are of course, providers of Silicon carbide membrane and full-scale solution systems. And we will help our customers make growth sustainable when it comes to, in relation to their profits and the environment.
And thatβs most important. I mean, we are helping companies to achieve a green growth, as I said, a good place to be when it comes to NASDAQ. Thatβs a bit more of a history of the company. We were listed in 2012. The New York stock exchange, thatβs where we started. And this became this idea that water sector is going to be next, a big growth industry. Maybe some people saw it as a next.com, boom, some some sort of a place where itβs going to be growing, growing. It was, but probably not as much as a lot of people expected, but it still gives us a very sustainable growth. And last year we moved to NASDAQ. And the reason for that is that NASDAQ low comes more of a technological profile of companies. And thatβs very found out that itβs more fit for a company such as ours. So if somebody wants to invest in green and not say to Bacco, not to say bad word about tobacco companies, this could be a place and Iβm not selling anything here.
Antoine Walter:
So thatβs about the company, but what about your, your role youβre head of innovation? So what does that cover?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Well, that covers well, first of all, I started working with development projects, the development projects, this was in early days of lick tech, lik tech internationalist several years ago, we were actually trying to find this perfect fit for our membrane. Not only membrane actually perfect fit for a ceramic material, a Silicon carbide ceramic material. And we had the quite a few different European funded projects, national funded projects in general projects where the several different companies, something is even competitors were involved. That was the original idea for me. And then as time went on I started looking at different markets for our membrane, different innovative fields. Today. We are working in topics such as microplastic removal, just to name something. And also we are heading towards some other potential candidates, such as a chemical industry industry for gas shift where membranes are used, but itβs not on our current portfolio. Other than that from a business perspective Iβm also looking at potential markets that could be studying legislation moves from different sectors European union, for example, and trying to, to see where this is heading and how we can fit in into this regulations, because if we face it, if we are real about our industry, itβs itβs very, very dependent on regulation. I mean, no regulation no membrane companies and no exhaust filters.
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Antoine Walter:
So, so w what is the latest evolution that you noticed and which is going to trigger something in our industry?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Well, there is a lots of debate here in Denmark. Letβs say letβs start with, because itβs easiest to start home for many years in Denmark it was taught everyone from kids to school, to, to the elderly that water is not treated in Denmark. There is no water treatment because itβs so old, pure ultra clean from nature. We are using for the most part, we are using groundwater, but sometimes you cannot hide away from the fact that, that we need to eat something. And while these farmers are trying to grow potatoes are trying to do, theyβre using all types of pesticides in order to, well, to have have their business intact. These are the realities of the world. Now, of course nature will remember now these pesticides that are used 20 years ago will eventually end up in our groundwater and then this groundwater needs to be treated. So this is of course a thereβs something that started like academic idea a couple of years ago till today that we are looking at the numbers from, from different waterworks and finding out that well, the levels are quite high. And the, some of the water that we are actually going to intake in next couple of years, needs to be treated. It needs to be treated with our membranes and plus some other technologies, most likely, unfortunately.
Antoine Walter:
So that means that today, if youβre making drinking water treatment in Denmark, you could be removing those trace pesticides, which are in, in the groundwater using your technology
Haris Kadrispahic:
Simple, but in essence, it is, yeah. It is like that. Itβs still treatment of this water is people are trying to use some low cost technologies does to keep the treatment that minimum, but this, the treatment of the, of the groundwater will eventually come because at some point this is simple technologies wouldnβt be enough for this type of treatment. So thatβs basically what we are looking at right now. And the innovation, when it comes to innovation and that field, we are looking to actually make our membrane active with the active catalyst layer, which would be able to specifically target this compounds. And this is the next step in a, in a membrane evolution. This is very lots of companies. Okay.
Antoine Walter:
So actually, let me guess that must be your new hybrid technology membrane that youβre introducing right now. Actually,
Haris Kadrispahic:
No, we are on our way there, but this is our step to the direction active layer membranes are still on the, on the drawing board. And it, itβs going to be something that we are going to look at in the future, because well, look at your podcast, donβt waste water. I mean, youβll need to kind of keep lots of compounds that you have in water and these membranes that will eventually come, thereβll be able to actually target the compounds that you want to remove. So if you are working in the food sector, then you could target only letβs say protein and let everything go through. So this would be next step when it comes to hybrid technology membrane itβs step between hybrid technology membrane is first of all, itβs a ultra filtration membrane BR placing it below 100 nanometers, which we are not, they havenβt done so with our commercial Silicon carbide membrane and that membrane, we are looking at customers such as food and beverage industry industry such as there is where we can look at applications that were applications that previously werenβt available for us due to different pore sizes that we had on our membrane.
Antoine Walter:
Weβll come back to this, a new type of membrane, but Iβd just like to take just a step back and try to understand what you mentioned earlier as your, the biggest chunk of your business right now, which is your Silicon carbide technology. So for the really stupid, so thatβs me, sorry. That means itβs ceramic membrane, right?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Itβs ceramic membrane, and itβs not only a ceramic membrane is sometimes there are different types of ceramics. Usually they are made of a carbite which is ours and oxides and oxide. Itβs a most common membrane is made of a aluminum oxide. And then after that is a titanium oxide then there is a zirconia membranes, and then there is a carbide membrane such as Silicon carbide. Whatβs unique about this membranes is that it tends to outperform also the other Silicon carbide membranes. And this is a very relevant in industries where pH values are very, very high. Their viscosity levels are high, and there, there is a problem with the oil level soil water. And in general, the industry is very, you actually need to your membrane to withstand everything you throw at it. And this is where very tend to Excel it. Also, if you look at our business portfolio right now, the markets we in, in oil industry, we are in power plants mining industry. So these are heavy industries, heavy industrial sites. You could say.
Antoine Walter:
So you were at home in harsh conditions if I get it right? Yes. Okay. Do you do the membrane only, or also the module and the systems around
Haris Kadrispahic:
We are right now, two companies. One is where Iβm sitting. We are solely producing Silicon carbide membranes, vile lactic water are producing the systems and they are producing turnkey solutions for our customers. Now there is, of course, this, everything between which we share, but usually our customers so far at least would tend to say, you know what? We have this problem, this type of pollution, we need you to solve it for us. And they would come up with the, of course the heart of our system would be Silicon carbide membrane. But then we will, of course, look at the several other technologies for a pre-treatment then after treatment, if necessary, such as our own membranes, various necessary.
Antoine Walter:
Okay. You mentioned when we were discussing about NASDAQ and doctrines, you mentioned that water is, is a growing field. And I think itβs true because the concern, I mean, itβs not the good news somehow. It means that we have always more problems with our water. So we need to treat it always more. But one of the fields, which is the biggest growth over the last probably decade is membrane technology, but correct me if Iβm wrong, the biggest chunk of those membranes are the polymer membranes, right? So if Iβm very, very sketchy for harsh conditions, you would go to ceramic membranes and eventually to your Silicon carbide technology. And for, letβs say easy waters, you would go for polymer membranes. I mentioned in the beginning emphasis to pay. So I might be totally wrong, but whatβs your take there
Haris Kadrispahic:
Completely, right? I mean, this is the history of the membrane, and whatβs important to understand that this is not, this is not now me talking like that. Then Iβm talking about the whole ceramic industry. What happened in the early days in in membrane world is that the numbers, the sheer volume of produced membranes taken by a polymeric membranes. And this is due to several factors, but the fact is that they are easier to produce one and two. They are cheaper, and this goes kind of hand in hand. So this share volume tends to play a quite significant role for the ceramic companies. Then we needed to play catch up. And we did that for many, many years where we would in order for us to produce membranes, that low price, we need to have a constant order inflow constantly to be able, letβs say to fill our furnaces because furnace is the, is the key when you produce a silicone or any ceramic membrane.
So of course the bigger furnaces you have and the less firing power membrane the price goes down. Now, this tend to go of course hand in hand with the price. So in order for us to keep the price down, we need the order in flow, but we need to fight with the already established market, which is a market for polymeric membrane. Now, for many years, we heard that this is going to switch towards more ceramic area, not only for the industries where polymeric membranes are excluded, but also places such as municipal waste waters, et cetera. And since 2015, 16, weβve seen some some big projects deliver from some of our competitors, which could look like a good step for the future. And then of course there is a us, or have a, a greater value in, in this heavy polluted or heavy industries.
And of course while we are we have this, all these big projects, it will tend to, to bring price down for ceramic membranes. And then of course, this is like a snowball. All, everything has a snowball effect. Of course, when we bring our prices down, then of course we will be able to offer our customers more value for their money. And then when you have a market acceptance to ceramic membranes, then of course one helps the other. And that just how it goes. The truth is that if, if you look at the market predictions right now, I mean, in the next couple of years, everybody expects that a market will still be dominated by a well, couple of big, big companies. And of course, these big, big companies they have consolidate their positions and theyβre using the polymeric membranes. And thatβs, thatβs just how it is. But then Iβm quite optimistic when it comes to ceramic membranes, whether itβs us or a competitor.
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Antoine Walter:
So letβs make an exercise. Letβs say Iβm operating an industrial wastewater treatment plant, which is a good thing, because in that podcast, you, you cannot imagine how many plants already acquired, but letβs assume Iβm operating such a plant. And I have polymer membrane since the nineties. So Iβm 30 years in. I cannot say that I have nasty experiences with them, but Iβm not so happy neither, but what would be your top three arguments for me to switch from polymers to ceramic? Letβs forget the price because I got your point where with price and the flywheel and the fact that itβs a numbers game, but what would be the top three technical arguments for me to switch?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Well, the best arguments you can have is this, these membranes are indestructible. There is no downtime, essentially. There is no downtime. There is no resting period, which rituals youβll also see with the, with the polymeric membranes. So basically you can run your operation wherever it is. You can run it. I wouldnβt say nonstop, but almost nonstop. Then there is a, there is of course looking at, and you say that youβve, letβs not look at the money, but we need to look at the money. I mean, the operations savings are quite high because of this. First of all, downtime is low. Second of all the energy consumption is a much lower than using polymeric membrane. And this is due to a lot of pressure on the, on the system. And then of course I read this article from a, from a British professor is so low of people are just tired of operational problems when it comes to polymeric membranes and they just want to switch to something that, that works. Now, itβs not played simple. You just switch one-to-one and then everything works works. Of course, itβs not, itβs not the, in a perfect world, but using these three arguments, I mean, there is no one who can state that. They have no problem with downtime. They have no problem with high energy consumption. They have no problem with the changing the membranes often et cetera.
Antoine Walter:
So thatβs really bad for your long-term business. You set a membrane and then you never have to place them in working for a company which had this problem while assistance were social stable. Thatβs we just never heard from our customers again. But you know, at some point thatβs going to prevent the ultimate groves. Once youβve populated the full earth with your, your systems. To answer that question,
Haris Kadrispahic:
There is plenty of water out there. Itβs not last year. The world spent the $1.5 billion on membranes. This is only last year, and itβs not like this is going away. Itβs not like market is everybodyβs using membrane. Well, what we can say for sure that there are more and more people needing voter in general, but clean water, also us in Europe, we will, we will experience what the shortage is, is just meadow. Itβs just a matter of time. So, so even in Denmark, as I said, we will experience the quality of water will go down. So there is a plenty of opportunities. So that argument that itβs bad for our business, that our customers are happy. Itβs not really valid.
Antoine Walter:
So if I just put that in a nutshell, the first argument is no downtime. The second argument is itβs predictable because you can just operate it. You donβt have to have some afterthoughts. And at the end of the day, you have better operating costs because you can run with less pressure. Yes, of course. So that was for silicone, the carbon technology or ceramic membranes, one of which probably the best of which is Silicon carbide technology, but youβre introducing a new type of membrane. So thatβs called hybrid technology membrane. So if itβs hybrid, I guess itβs a mix of things. So what exactly is this hybrid technology membrane?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Well, first of all, a bit history again. Okay. Iβm sorry. I just need to tell tell stories fascinating. Back in 2015 we were invited to development projects in Denmark, everybody who is anybody within the food sector, food and beverage sector, it was there. So that was your, your vote, just to mention a company that you probably know letβs say itβs probably the best beer in the world. So Carlsberg bird there among amongst others. So slaughterhouses were there.
Antoine Walter:
I just, I have to stop you there because you started the podcast by claiming that the best restaurant in the word I in Copenhagen,
Haris Kadrispahic:
As in Denmark really wants, Iβm sorry. They sent probably Iβm not arguing against problems, not to argue against that. And the best football club has in Liverpool in the world are using their, on their shirts. Come on. This is, this is winning argument. Okay. No, no, no. Letβs let letβs get no. And so back in 2015, we were invited to this basically it was an amazing project development project. The idea was that food sector, food and beverage sector are going to reduce their use of fresh water intake by 25%. That was in 2015. Now, now after of course nowadays, I mean, everybody, not everybody, but lots, lots of industries are looking at these numbers, like their sustainability goals. So we entered the project with the Silicon carbide membrane envy. So realized that actually our membrane is not suitable for these types of streams.
And yeah, we could use our Silicon carbide membrane as a pre-filtration, but we couldnβt use it for this emerging business which is a protein of concentration, just, just to say, state something. And this was a nice eye-opener. First of all, we had a chance to really talk to companies who could we could all be a round table and they could say, you know what, guys we think you can say, we can save money here in here in here. And they knew everything about their business. And we were voted treatment people. So we know, knew everything about what does, so sometimes itβs just taking a water from one place and placing it another place and then saving some water there. So it was really a nice, a nice exercise, but in the end of the day, we figured out, you know, what, if we are going to be in this market food and beverage industry in general, then we need to do something about our membrane.
So we went back to the drawing board and start looking at different possibilities. Now, Silicon carbide in general is a amazing material, but whatβs difficult with Silicon carbide. Itβs, itβs not, torturously difficult to control. So if Iβm to produce a membrane and say, well, I want a hundred nanometer membrane. I may succeed. But if I say, Iβm going to constantly switch between 80 nanometers, 120 nanometers, and back to a hundred nanometers, then I probably wouldnβt be able to do it because itβs very, very difficult to membrane or material to work with. So we figured if you are going to enter industry such as a Fordham beverage, then we need to have several products on the shelf. And one of the criteria, and there are some non-negotiables when it comes to our business. And one is that it needs to be completely chemically inert.
That means that you can throw whatever you want on, on the membrane. It needs to survive. And it needs to have a significant mechanical strength and vivre looking at perfect materials. And we had the, we had some ideas. So we chose the material. There is very, very well-known in the food sector, which is Erchonia oxide. And this is for the grade material, which means that itβs itβs easier to get your product to approve them. So, yeah, so you have an easier, easier way to approve your product by, by using something known as your cornea oxide is a known ceramics, but then again, we needed to keep everything that I said before. So this was basically the project. So create a perfect membrane that we need to have a below. First of all, below a hundred nanometers thesis is what the market expected from us.
And then again, keep our chemical resistance, mechanical resistance impact. So not going to compromise with that. So we made this version of the membrane that is able to check all these points. And whatβs great feature about, about this type of membrane is that now we can control it. So if there is a need for a, say a range between a 4,200 nanometers, then we can apply this particular range. So to save, itβs going to be 70 or 80 or 90 or a hundred, which we couldnβt do before with the, with Silicon carbide.
Antoine Walter:
So it opens you the door of the ultrafiltration. If I get you right before you were doing, letβs say microfiltration, and now you can also do a titration or two way oversimplify it. Yes.
Haris Kadrispahic:
Thatβs a good way to put it. I mean, if you are going to put the ultrafiltration in one bracket, then you can say, yeah, we can, we can do ultra filtration with our Silicon carbide still membrane, but you, you have to, I mean, we are still calling Silicon carbide because majority of the membrane is Silicon carbide.
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Antoine Walter:
So that means that basically, you, you keep all the advantages of your material, which by the way, you know, well, and on top of that, you, you add a new capability, which is to be able to control the poor side. And that thatβs what helps you to solve the issue in the waste, what to reuse application inside specific segments, such as food and beverage. Exactly.
Haris Kadrispahic:
That was the idea. And thatβs, thatβs where we succeeded. So, so thatβs the next step for us with the, with the hybrid technology is that to make a marketer open eyes for it. And the good way to start is, is is food and beverage industry. So we already have have some, some very nice ideas on and very nice partnerships with, with several end users about this potential technology.
Antoine Walter:
So youβve released your marketing lounge a couple of weeks ago. What about your, your product roadmap? Where are you right now? Is the product already there? Is it off the shelf? Can it be ordered or do you have some flagship projects you are working on?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Sheβs going to be next step is more on development of applications then the development of the product. So itβs, itβs going to be our guys in Lichter water are going to make several tests at several different industries and dairy industry being one of them to find the perfect fit for these types of membranes. But then this is only start, of course.
Antoine Walter:
So you mentioned that you have many branches into LinkedIn, and you just said that thereβs this, all the leak tech lead tech water, which is going to look at the applications. If I understood right. You, your website, which is beautiful, by the way, thereβs also lik tech plastic manufacturing. So you have plastic manufacturer, you have the water systems and you have the membranes, which all together build a full stack company from a to Z. Is that the vision, or do you also work agnostically with other players in the market?
Haris Kadrispahic:
So companies are there because it, they make a lot of sense to what we do. So in general, again, a bit history lipstick, which now Lichter ceramics, which is based in Copenhagen. We existed since 1999, early 2000 itβs 20 years now. So we existed for 20 years and in 2014 we acquired lifter water. So they, they were our customers, basically this engineering companies, vehicle company, which which provided the system. And by doing that of course we entered a whole new field Poland, Spire river. They were really, really amazing. And then several years later now, now we have 20, 20 we did the basically more or less the same thing with the now electric plastic because liquid plastic weβre already component provider to our systems. So we kind of integrated this company into our system. So the basic idea is of course, to have all the knowledge in-house, which of course makes India, it makes the customer happy because we can, we can plan everything to a, from a to Z by ourselves and deliver everything by ourselves.
Antoine Walter:
So that means that in the span of five years, youβve acquired a LinkedIn quarter, youβve acquired LinkedIn plastics, which helped you to build the full package solution. Youβve developed the hybrid technology membrane. You found a very good use case at Carlsberg. So, you know, I have, apart from my hobby of acquiring plants in every interview, I have a, another hobby, which is I have my crystal ball and with my crystal ball, I can let you have a look to where lead tech will be in five years. So whatβs your vision? Where are you heading?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Oh, yeah. VR VR heading towards being first of all most dominative ceramic membrane provider thereβs, thereβs no doubt about that. But then we are, we are aiming at in developing new markets and we are also aiming and developing a new solutions to our customers, which are not necessarily only solely based on membranes, but to be able for our customers to chose a full portfolio of different technologies in the water sectors. I think still within five years, we are focusing in, in areas various industrial wastewater. This is most natural fit, but again, I think we, in five years, weβll have a whole portfolio of different solutions for our customers. Can I ask a very stupid
Antoine Walter:
Question? Letβs say Iβm not really oversimplifying, but you had the microfiltration now you have the ultra filtration. Whatβs next, nanofiltration reverses Moses as it something which is achievable with a ceramic material.
Haris Kadrispahic:
I just have a reverse osmosis. Itβs itβs probably a bit stretch. Actually. I was asked by, by this amazing engineer, I had a meeting with the yesterday. He said, why not? Well, there are some limitations and some professors in the, in, in Holland now, not now laugh if they ever heard that, heard this because we had these ideas on the, on the table for, for several years. Next step is definitely going to be nanofiltration within ceramic membranes. Itβs, itβs already in the, in the market, but then weβll have, again, our own flavor and our own take on this types of membranes. That thatβs the very, where we are heading. And then donβt forget the, from the start of the interview, I said the, we are probably also going to have some sort of active layer on, on our membrane where we can target a specific components that are, that are unhealthy.
Antoine Walter:
So that would be really aiming. Cause you mentioned the microplastics, but the microplastics are physical pollution, which means can be sorted out with, with membrane pretty logically. But you mentioned also pesticides in there. Think you need to have a kind of active something, which is also targeting those coupons. So thatβs the next frontier with selective membrane. If I get you right, is that science fiction or is it something which is really coming in the next decade?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Definitely not science fiction science fiction would be ceramic reverse osmosis membrane and not, not because itβs a, itβs not doable because I honestly think that the reverse osmosis membranes are good as they are. So we would offer pre-treatment solutions that will prolong the life and make life easier for these operators. So there is probably not really need, I donβt see a need out there, but a active layer on a membrane. This is definitely not Saifai. And we already have a couple of projects we are looking at, and we are working on the development with the through a Eurostar program, a European with European union. So, so this is something that we already can see developing. So itβs not, itβs definitely not scifi.
Antoine Walter:
So when, when shall we schedule our next interview to discuss those new member and types two years, five years?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Well, time flies say, letβs say in two years we will definitely have a new product on the, on the shelves. And this is going to be much more amazing than what we have on our portfolio right now. It will even be what we have in HDM membrane.
Antoine Walter:
Thatβs a really, really appealing takes. Okay. I think I have nothing in my calendar for 2022, so, so far. So
Haris Kadrispahic:
Just before Christmas, just before Christmas and then then weβll talk there. Perfect. And after that, weβll have a, weβll have a lunch. I know this amazing restaurant.
Antoine Walter:
Hey I guess if itβs fine with you, Iβd like to switch to the rapid fire questions
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Rapid fire questions.
Antoine Walter:
So actually for the record for our questions to rule is pretty simple. I try to keep the questions short. So preferably if you can keep the answers short, thatβs good as well. Youβll see that the one which is always deviating from the script is me. So donβt worry. Iβm not going to close the microphone if you want to explain a bit longer. So first, what is the most exciting project youβve been working on and why
Haris Kadrispahic:
Exciting project is a project call LBL, which was a project with the among others with was with the Lake tech and Pentair expo. And that this project was very successful in terms of developing a new membrane. Unfortunately it wasnβt successful for LinkedIn, but it gave us an idea on how to work with our with our membrane in order to come to close to this Pantheris flow.
Antoine Walter:
What is your favorite part of your current job?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Working every day with the most amazing scientists,
Antoine Walter:
You mean scientists in house,
Haris Kadrispahic:
Both, both there is absolutely amazing. There are amazing scientists out there, which I have lots of them I have on my speed dial. And I couldnβt imagine this just 10 years ago. Heβs, heβs just an amazing feeling.
Antoine Walter:
Okay. So speaking with all the scientists, you will have a very good answer to the next one, which is what is the trends to watch out in the water industry?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Well, I can stay only for, for the membrane industry transfer. The membrane industry is a more sustainable production which means less chemicals and more reuse, which in the end will will fit nicely towards a, a better product and which goes full circle from production to customers and back to the production.
Antoine Walter:
So that was for the membrane industry. But for the water, would you have take a guess.
Haris Kadrispahic:
Yeah, I will take a shot. I think weβll see a steep incline in a water technology. What different types of water technology throughout the world, we will also see come back to Europe where I think with the next five years, it could potentially be a growth market. The two different legislations that are envisaged will come shortly.
Antoine Walter:
Okay. So what is the thing you care about the most when youβre working on a new project or developing a new product and what is the one you care? The least
Haris Kadrispahic:
The thing I care about most is thatβs easy. One is is the environment. Thatβs the thing I care about the most. It will get me going. Luckily I have from time to time, I want to say that several times a year, because it is from time to time. Iβm sitting around the table with legislators from Europe, but also from, from Denmark. And Iβm asked what are technological capabilities of different systems. And Iβll provide them the answer, knowing very well that this is also where legislation will come next time around because a legislator will only play if whatβs achievable for the world and in a, not, not more out, of course you cannot legislate for something that is not out there. So this, this is one of the feeling that you that in my job, I really feel that I can, I can make a change for the, for the better thatβs, thatβs the most amazing feeling of my job.
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Antoine Walter:
And what is the thing you cared the least? Oh
Haris Kadrispahic:
My God. Thatβs the least, no, Iβm, Iβm, Iβm, Iβm very excited about lots of things. Well, letβs see. Well, I dunno. I dunno. I honestly donβt know. I donβt know. I donβt know. I need to say I, I Iβve wanted to say our local sandwich shop is not, but I care about least, but the guys are ordering from there, but then sometimes they do other great sandwiches. So thatβs not even that it answers your question.
Antoine Walter:
Okay. So Iβll come that as a joker. Do you have sources to recommend, to keep up with the water and waste for the market trends?
Haris Kadrispahic:
I do. I have sources. I tend to read the global water Intel. Thatβs my thatβs kind of my Bible digital Bible. I have to say. Then there are plenty of reports from frost and Sullivan that that tend to read them. There are quite a few national small usually digital sites or papers there that you can get lots of information about our industry.
Antoine Walter:
And last question. Would you have someone to recommend that we should definitely invite as soon as possible?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Yeah, I think you could invite some of our local guys from Denmark, I think can I can provide you a couple with a couple of names, but I have I have this amazing company that are making energy out of a saltwater and freshwater. So this is a, this is the step next step in in a global energy solutions which Iβm quite amazed about.
Antoine Walter:
Okay, youβre going to be hooked. So Iβm looking for your recommendation. So I guess it was a very interesting interview on my end. I discovered many things, which I totally ignored about Silicon carbide technology and now even hybrids technology membranes. So thanks a lot for that. If people want to follow up with you, where can they find you?
Haris Kadrispahic:
Iβm very active on LinkedIn. And I think Iβm out now LinkedIn guy. And so if, if somebody wants to, wants to look for leak tech thatβs like U T C H for LinkedIn, please follow our page. And youβll find lots of interesting stuff.
Antoine Walter:
Well, Iβll put the links in the, in the episode notes as well. And thatβs a nice way to conclude our session. Thanks a lot. Harris. We have an appointment for 2022. You have to take me to a very nice restaurant heard, so Iβm not forgetting that one.
Haris Kadrispahic:
All right. Thank you very much. Cheers.
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