Agilabet.REGISTER NOW GET FREE 888 PESOS REWARDS!

For companies, government organizations and cluster organizations wanting to network and do business in the US, the WEFTEC is the place to be. Water Alliance and ten Dutch companies attended with a Netherlands pavilion. Harro Brons , Manager Business Development at Water Alliance, looks back on a successful trade fair, bursting with knowledge sharing and networking.

“As a matchmaking organization, the WEFTEC is not to be missed for meeting existing and new contacts,” says Harro Brons. “I look back at WEFTEC with satisfaction. With a good spot on the main aisle of the fair, a well-stocked NL pavilion and program, this edition of WEFTEC was an example of how we like to engage with the sector.”

Leads

Ten Dutch companies joined the trip to New Orleans, to showcase their technology, solutions and innovations to a large international audience. Harro Brons: “After the event, the Dutch companies that participated indicated that they had good and meaningful business conversations. I know of several Dutch companies who came up with concrete leads.”

In collaboration with the The Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) and ZINNAE from Spain, Harro and his colleagues also highlighted the potential of the CircInWater -project for internationalizing businesses. Funded by the EU, this project promotes innovation and internationalization. " Bryan Stubbs , CEO of CWA presented some of the ‘innovation needs’ on behalf of utilities and industrial partners in his region. He was joined by Alaina Harkness from Current, Chicago. This allowed companies to get a better picture of where the opportunities lie in the Great Lake Region.”

Trip to Georgia

And then there was a special meeting in Gwinnett County, Georgia. “As the Dutch Water Alliance, we obviously tried to use our time as effectively as possible,” explains Harro Brons. “And so we also took advantage of our presence in the US to strengthen the warm contacts we already have with Melissa Meeker , CEO at The Water Tower in Gwinnett County.”

Earlier this year, Hein Molenkamp of the Dutch Water Alliance and Meeker signed an MoU as part of the working visit of the Netherlands King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima. “Special about this follow-up by Hein Molenkamp of Water Alliance, was that alderman and vice mayor Abel Reitsma and Evelien Walstra from the municipality of Leeuwarden also went along”, says Brons. “ Reinder de Jong from the NVNOM (an economic development organisation in the north of the Netherlands, ed.) was also present, because of course seeds can always be planted to attract American companies that want to do business in Europe. For American water tech companies, the WaterCampus Leeuwarden can also be the gateway for doing business in de EU.”

Credits

Are there any particular parties to be thanked? Harro Brons: “There are almost too many to mention, but I will make an attempt. To start with, of course, the companies listed below this post. They all provided nice positive Dutch collaboration at the fair. The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Miami for their support during WEFTEC 2024. Then of course our partners at NWP (Netherlands Water Partnership) and also the WTEX10 Programme, which makes internationalization and export support available for Dutch water tech companies. We will not forget the hospitable welcome from Melissa Meeker of The Water Tower and Kristan VandenHeuvel in Gwinnett County. And it is also fair to say that in arranging these kinds of meetings, Consul General Jacob (Jaap) Veerman of the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Atlanta also plays a very positive role. Finally we want to thank Bryan Stubbs of the Cleveland Water Alliance and Alaina Harkness from Current Water for their contribution for CircinWater."