Global water technology company Xylem announced in January the expansion of its pumps rental and service portfolio across Europe and South Africa through a multimillion-euro investment.

The company believes that this initiative will enable it to better meet market demand from construction, industry, municipal and mining customers across both regions. Additionally, the investment also supports Xylem’s global strategy to help build resilient communities that are more prepared to respond to extreme weather events.

The expansion makes thousands of Xylem rental assets available to customers across Europe, positioning the right fleet mix in the right location, at the right time to meet customer needs. The combination of Xylem’s market-leading pumps and dewatering expertise will meet customer demand for temporary and long-term rental solutions, as well as the emergency response to flooding and weather-related catastrophes.

Xylem notes that the cost of flood damage across Europe is expected to rise fivefold over the coming decades, as increasingly intense downpours driven by climate change will see flood damages rise from €4.5-billion to €23-billion a year by 2050, according to research by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, published in the monthly peer-reviewed journal Nature Climate Change of March 2014.

Xylem is opening expanded pumps rental and service hubs in France, Germany and Spain that will work in close partnership to serve customers across Europe.

A new pumps rental and service hub in Johannesburg brings Xylem’s ‘one-stop-shop’ water removal solution to customers across South Africa. In addition to Xylem’s extensive pumps rental portfolio, which includes diesel and electric surface-mounted Godwin pumps, and submersible electric Flygt pumps, Xylem will invest in advanced technologies such as its Godwin Field Smart Technology, which enables remote monitoring and control for optimal and proactive asset use.

Xylem’s pumps rental portfolio is complemented by extensive capability to develop customised solutions to complex water removal applications.

Following January’s announcement, Xylem Dewatering president David Flinton said: “We continue to experience increased demand for rental from our markets as more and more customers recognise the value of our rental capabilities – a quick and cost- effective way to tackle water removal challenges supported by Xylem’s water transfer expertise. This significant investment in our capabilities in Europe and South Africa will enable us to better meet our customers’ needs with timely, turnkey solutions from a single source that reduces customers’ administration costs.”

Xylem’s new Johannesburg pumps rental hub opened its doors in October last year – expanding Xylem’s global investment into emerging markets and accelerating its rental growth in Africa. The company has expanded its regional footprint, with branches currently serving clients in Gauteng, the North West, the Western Cape, Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.

Xylem, as a leading water technology provider, enables customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential and commercial building services, as well as industrial and agricultural settings.

The company does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market- leading product brands, and its people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater problems.