Helping Companies Go with the Flow

When planning a project such as a power plant, a main concern for developers should always be water management. Because the industry requires large amounts of water, a plant’s location and assessment of water quality and availability levels nearby become crucial to having a sustainable water management cycle, says Juan Herrera, Director General of Hydrocon. “Having the proper chemical conditions is important in power production due to the high level of interaction between water and critical equipment,” he says.

Hydrocon has over 25 years of experience in Smart Water Cycle Treatment for diverse industries. In 2012, it underwent a rebranding as it implemented new strategies to approach the industry. “We realized that offering integral services was necessary to generate an added value for our customers, so we integrated this to solve the industry’s water-related challenges more efficiently.”

The company created the concept of total water management as a new way of doing businesses. This innovative scheme was designed to help companies improve their complex industrial water cycles. The process starts at the water source, where Hydrocon prepares the water intake to suit industrial requirements. The next stage includes controlling water usage across the production process, this involves heat exchange equipment, cooling towers and heaters. Lastly is wastewater treatment, where the company discharges industrial water in compliance with environmental norms or, when possible, reuses it.

Another key element in its strategy is the productive unit model, where each business division contains a commercial, services and administrative section, allowing every unit to be self-sufficient, independent and replicable. “We have two kinds of business units divided by geographical location and industry served. Our geographical units serve unspecialized segments in strategic locations, while our industry-based divisions focus on specific sectors of the Mexican economy.” As power project developers are usually deeply concerned with several aspects of production, it becomes hard for managers or directors to properly oversee the numerous aspects involved in water management. Hydrocon’s complete solution is valuable because it allows developers to focus on their core business while Hydrocon supervises the aspects related to water. “We take care of all processes and equipment in which water usage is involved, providing peace of mind to our customers. Earning our clients’ trust is one of our greatest achievements.”

To offer a better service Hydrocon has also entered into alliances that could benefit its customers in the power industry, such as its partnership with GE Power & Water. GE provides the strong technological approach reflected in its Power & Water division. Its focus and high investment in R&D means all the equipment used in water management processes are based on cutting-edge technological advances, giving Hydrocon a comparative advantage against its competitors.

The alliance is mutually beneficial. “Hydrocon supports GE Power & Water by distributing its products in Mexico, taking advantage of our presence in different states, with local offices in 10 cities.” GE also benefits from Hydrocon’s specialized units, which attend the country’s most important industries such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, power and mining. “GE Power & Water saw the potential of Hydrocon as a commercial network, identifying us as a great partner to expand its presence in Mexico thanks to our in-depth knowledge of the local industry and culture.”

Hydrocon’s expectations for the Mexican market include the consolidation of its business model. It continues to enhance business procedures and quality systems. Hydrocon’s services and sales practices are already certified under ISO 9001: 2008, and it is in the process of implementing ISO 14000 and OSHA’s guidelines, to fulfill the company’s expansion ambitions. At the same time, it is bolstering its internal capacity, building a training and learning center for its employees. “Our goal is to keep strengthening our employees’ skills and knowledge to offer even better services to our clients. Hydrocon is ready for accelerated, sustainable growth,” Herrera says.