17 April 2024 News From the 19th to the 21st of March, the 20th anniversary International Exhibition for Equipment and Technologies for Waste Management and Wastewater Treatment, Wasma, took place at the Expocentre. Exhibition organiser: MVK-International Exhibition Company. Wasma 2024 became a significant event for the industry, showcasing innovations in equipment and technologies for waste processing, disposal, decontamination, and transportation, as well as equipment and technologies for water treatment and wastewater purification. The public company "Russian Environmental Operator" (PPK "REO") became the co-organiser of the exhibition. This year, the exhibition featured 75 companies from Russia, China, Turkey, and Belarus. The exhibition space covered 5,000 square meters. Wasma 2024 was attended by over 2,300 specialists representing regional operators, industrial and agricultural enterprises, water utilities, leasing companies from 65 regions of the Russian Federation, with 59% of them being new visitors. During the exhibition, agreements were signed between "Russian Environmental Operator" (PPK "REO") and MVK company, aiming to collaborate on establishing a closed-loop economy in solid waste management. Additionally, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between MVK and Erba-Eco Consulting, outlining their joint efforts over the next two years to promote digitalisation and technological support for environmental monitoring. As part of the business programme, the 5th Jubilee International Congress of Environmental Technologies and the 4th Conference "Industrial and Domestic Wastewater Treatment" were held, with over 600 delegates and more than 100 industry experts participating. Exhibition partners: Association for the Promotion of the Circular Economy "Resource". Conference session partners: Russian Association of Water Supply and Sewerage (RAWSS), National Association of Water Supply and Sewerage (NAWSS), Erba-Eco Consulting. Sponsor of the exhibition registration: Ecomashgroup. Exhibition Eco-Partners: the "Ecologic" project, Edis Water Company, RT-Invest, Taras Group. Exhibition Overview and Participant Feedback At Wasma 2024, companies showcased equipment in four main sections: "Equipment for waste processing, utilisation, and decontamination", "Machinery and equipment for waste collection, storage, and transportation", "Equipment for water treatment and wastewater purification", and "Environmental monitoring equipment". New participants at Wasma 2024 included companies like Orthaus Trailers Rus; Polytekprom; TopTehno; TF-Service; StroyinzhService-2, GC; Aquastok; BBS Ecology; Origin Water; VDK; Veles-DV, LLC; Gles Group Inginiring, LLC; Greenlos; Dongfeng; Europromtech; Intertechelectro, GC; Camozzi Pneumatic; ITM Spetsmashina; Miakom; Modern Transport Technologies, GC; UberOzon (Uber Electro, LLC LL); UltraStab; Cemros; Ecomatika; Eсoplast, and Elma-Asterion, GC. Elma-Asterion Group of Companues, a new participant, showcased their new development – SDF horizontal centrifugal pumps with end-face seals for pumping aggressive liquids. Anna Klenina, Marketing Projects Manager at Elma-Asterion, shared her impressions: "This is our first time at this exhibition, and we noticed a great interest in domestic equipment – visitors came to our stand asking, 'Where have you been before?' Thanks to the organisers for supporting Russian manufacturers – there are fewer Chinese companies here compared to other exhibitions". ITM Spetsmashina, another debutant, presented two rear-loading JAC garbage trucks with pneumatic suspension (VZ16) and Shacman (VZ20). These unique vehicles have no analogs in Russia. Yuri Avdalov, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Kurgandormash (ITM Spetsmashina's parent company), commented: "It's our first time participating, and the experience is positive. We've met many new clients, made contacts and acquaintances. We'll definitely participate in the exhibition next year because we are in a growing market and a growing group of enterprises". Ecopoint showcased automated recycling points. Marina Polozova, the company's marketer, said: "Our goal was to attract the maximum number of clients and interested individuals to our project and to communicate with partners – everything was achieved. We received targeted leads and signed an agreement with the 'Uberu' project by PPK "REO". We plan to participate again next year". The participation at Wasma brought positive and, most importantly, measurable results for Minsk Automobile Plant that presented a new modification of garbage truck MAZ-590725-012CM with a crane manipulator. Evgeny Zhilinsky, Project Manager at MAZ-RUS, shared his impressions: "We have participated before. We had negotiations, and companies from Dmitrov, Penza, Chuvashia, Stavropol, and Mineralnye Vody expressed interest in purchasing 18 units of equipment, including three of our new products". Business Programme Within the business programme of the exhibition, the 5th Jubilee International Congress of Environmental Technologies and the 4th Conference "Industrial and Domestic Wastewater Treatment" took place. The thematic sessions of the congress discussed issues related to the waste management reform, infrastructure development, closed-loop economy construction, digitalisation, the work of regional operators, and public education. Leading experts in waste management, business representatives, and government officials were among the speakers at the events. The congress programme also included a track of the Russian Environmental Forum (REF), organised annually by PPK "REO". The track featured a plenary session on "Clean" Economy: Realigning Approaches to Production and Consumption" and a strategic session on "Waste as an Opportunity: Investments in Sustainable Infrastructure". During the conference "Industrial and Domestic Wastewater Treatment," discussions focused on the industry prospects for purifying drinking and wastewater. Key topics included water quality, creating demand for water purification products, and water resource eco-monitoring. The conference also showcased the best available technologies in wastewater treatment. PR Battle Wasma 2024 Contest As part of the exhibition, a contest was held among exhibitors for the best PR or marketing department – PR Battle Wasma 2024. The winners of the contest were Iskadaz Special Machine Building Plant, Modern Transport Technologies Group of Companies, Innovative Pipe Solutions (NTT), and Intertechelectro Group of companies. In 2025, the Wasma exhibition will take place on March 18-20 at the Expocentre, Pavilion 3. Book your stand