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Grundfos Australia launches new testing facility to bring world-class water solutions closer to local market

Adelaide, 6 October 2022: Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and water technology, today unveiled a new in-house testing facility for submersible pumps at its South Australian headquarters. The investment underscores Grundfos commitment to bringing world-class water solutions closer to the Australian market, bolstering global competitiveness of local operations and products.  

The new AUD 3 million facility boasts the capacity to test more than 16,000 pumps annually, which includes Grundfos’ largest pumps spanning from SP 1 to SP215. The expanded testing capacity ensures Grundfos delivers on its guarantee within Australia itself, by testing each pump to international standards, accommodating its complete product range. 

Critical for groundwater supply, irrigation, groundwater level control and pressure boosting, Grundfos’ submersible pumps contribute to some of Australia’s most significant industries, including the agriculture sector which is currently valued at AUD 71 billion[1].

By creating a ‘one-stop shop’ to assemble and test locally, the expansion is part of Grundfos Australia’s continuous efforts to strengthen its supply chain and bring world-class water solutions to customers in the shortest possible timeframe. Expanding local facilities is also recognised as a sustainable way forward, by reducing carbon emissions generated during transportation.

The expanded capacity will also see local supply of sustainable solutions for the agricultural community ramp up, including Grundfos’ solar-powered solutions like the SQFlex submersible pump range, which utilises solar energy to provide a sustainable and reliable off-grid water supply for stock watering, irrigation, and agricultural water supply and transfer. With Australian farms spending more than double in energy costs over the last decade[2], solar solutions are expected to play a key role in Australia’s ambition towards net zero emissions and safeguarding against the ongoing energy crisis.

The opening was attended by the Director, City Assets, Mark Buckerfield; Assets Engineer, Thomas Campbell; Team Leader Economic Development & Tourism, Andrea Satireyo; and Economic Development Officer, Brian Jackway.

Commenting on the milestone, Rick Holland, Head of Grundfos Asia Pacific Water Utility business and Executive Director Australia, said, “This test rig is an exciting addition to our local facilities, which means that every pump is tested to international standards locally, allowing us to provide customers a broad range of products with fast delivery times. With sustainability at the core of everything we do, our expanded capacity will not only power our customers’ sustainable operations, but also reduce our own carbon footprint, and we hope to significantly contribute towards Australia’s efforts in taking urgent climate action.”

Grundfos has been supporting the Australian market in its sustainability goals since 1980, through delivering water solutions that improve water efficiency and reduce energy consumption in the daily operations of its customers. This includes Barfield Station in Queensland, where Grundfos supported its extensive watering infrastructure by providing solar pumping systems. The 15,500-acre organic beef operation was not only able to achieve a reliable supply of fresh, clean water, but also a far wider water supply and substantial savings.

 

[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics. Agriculture.

[2] Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics 2020, Agricultural commodity statistics 2020, Table 3.4