SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD FOR WATER TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN OULU


Implementation of the Center of Excellence in Water Industry Clusters (CEWIC)
in Oulu took a significant step forward when the Oulu City Board allocated EUR
750,000 of the city's funds to its financing for this year and the following
three years. Finance has also been sought from the European Regional
Development Fund, research institutes and companies. The project is estimated
to cost approximately EUR 3.6 million. 

The objective of the CEWIC project is to establish a high-standard research
center focused on water and wastewater treatment. Its research, development and
innovation operations will be guided by the water industry market and the needs
of companies. Around 20 companies and numerous research and training institutes
around Finland are committed to CEWIC. CEWIC will operate as a network open to
all Finnish players in the sector. 

The operations of the research center will be commenced and established in a
three-year project involving the Oulu University of Applied Sciences, the
University of Oulu, the City of Oulu, Technopolis and other companies. The
center will eventually acquire the resources and financing it needs on its own.
CEWIC will be located in Technopolis's Laanila technology center in Oulu. 

The project is a part of an extensive co-operation agreement for the
development of environmental business that was approved in 2004 and renewed in
2007. Water technology also has solid foundations in Oulu, as Kemira's Oulu
research center has carried out top-level water chemical research for a long
time. 

Pertti Huuskonen, President and CEO of Technopolis, considers CEWIC to be an
excellent demonstration of successful co-operation between the private and the
public sectors. It is also a fine example of projects undertaken jointly by the
two universities. Huuskonen also points out that water technology may end up
being a very important sector for the Oulu region. "There is a vast market
throughout the world for water technology and derivative products, and this
demand is rising continuously," he says. 

The water business in Oulu is focused around comprehensive solutions related to
industrial fresh water, process water circulation, wastewater purification and
communal water supply. 

CEWIC is the spearhead project of the environmental technology cluster of the
Center of Expertise Program, and has been initiated by Technopolis Plc. The
Center of Expertise Program is coordinated in the Oulu Region by Oulu
Innovation Ltd. 

For additional information, please contact:

Technopolis Plc,
Eero Huttunen, Program Director, tel. +358 50 3207245