Executive Summary

HYDRO-AIR is an independent manufacturer of highly innovative and advanced module technology for irrigation systems. It is located in Eastern Germany at Flugplatzweg 1, 14913 Niedergörsdorf. The company was founded in 1991 and certified 1999 with DIN EN ISO 9001. Since 1998 HYDRO-AIR works in the R&D sector especially for developing complete telemetry solutions for irrigation systems with wireless control. HYDRO-AIR should develop a business plan taking into account their most promising products and services for the needs of the SuWaNu project.

HHYDRO-AIR has developed a number of highly efficient and cost effective advanced irrigation technology for agricultural application. The HYDRO-AIR systems ensures highly efficient water usage and distribution. Further, their systems allow a tailor-made water and nutrient distribution and an online performance validation concerning fertigation capacities. Currently, HYDRO-AIR focuses on improving the performance and reliability of the developed VRI (Variable Rate Irrigation) system for the direct application of alternative water sources promising cost-efficient and technically easy to handle wastewater treatment technology to create robust and sustainable irrigation water and nutrient supply for the agricultural sector.

The use of untreated and partially treated wastewater for irrigation likely will increase substantially in future, as higher-quality water supplies are shifted from agriculture to cities, while the generation of wastewater increases with population growth. The already existing and the upcoming changes regarding the waste water use in irrigation sector pushed HYDRO-AIR to develop the VRI technology through which pre-treated waste water is used for irrigation. Following the market trends, this product is expected to expand in the market within the next years and the demand will grow. Up to now, most of the current operating site-specific irrigation systems are still prototypes. Since the technology is still relatively new, a majority of the plants are still in the stage of development and not operating for commercial cultivation. By promoting the new site-specific VRI system and the use of the treated wastewater for irrigation, the company aims to help at first place the farmers who face lack of water and nutrient that are viable for their crops. Besides, farmers, that already use wastewater for irrigation and are interested in increasing the treatment efficiency and effluent quality, are also in the target of the company.

Since HYDRO-AIR is a SME, its marketing strategy depends mainly on building and sustaining a good relationship with the clients achieving thus the promotion of the products through ‘Word of mouth marketing‘. In the framework of after sales communication, HYDRO-AIR will give its customers the necessary support regarding the installation, maintainance or operatation of the VRI system. If the system is damaged, technical support will be offered by the company.

Though the GIS / GPS fertigation system is still in the early development phase it is possible to assume that the realization will have a significant impact on the competitiveness of HYDRO-AIR, as a completely new line of business is explored with great market potential through the development of an efficient, highly precise, site-specific irrigation system including the liquid fertilizer module. So far HYDRO-AIR has proven its expertise and technical abilities by developing irrigation and pump technologies as well as control and management systems for agricultural purposes within more than 1,000 installed irrigation systems in Germany. By improving this technique (effective, precise site-specific irrigation with liquid fertilizer integrated module) HYDRO-AIR is able to acquire a new, broad customer base.