Water management is increasingly recognized as a strategic priority for two of Europe’s largest and most water-intensive manufacturing sectors: food & beverage and pharmaceuticals. Stricter EU regulations—such as tighter discharge limits under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and the Industrial Emissions Directive, along with impending PFAS bans—are prompting significant upgrades in treatment systems. At the same time, fluctuating chemical costs and rising supply chain pressures are transforming OPEX strategies, while the EU Green Deal’s climate and water objectives are driving investments in reuse, circularity, and digitalized operations.
These sectors are now confronted with the pressing challenge of securing reliable, high-quality water supplies while addressing increasingly complex wastewater requirements. This shift is creating new opportunities for solution providers—ranging from global leaders to agile regional players—to offer technologies and services that not only ensure compliance but also build resilience, safeguard profit margins, and create sustainable competitive advantages.
Bluefield’s water experts offer insights into forecasted trends, challenges, and spending surrounding Europe’s food & beverage and pharmaceutical sectors.
Key questions addressed:
- How are regional regulations, incentives, and ESG frameworks shaping the food & beverage and pharmaceutical water markets?
- How are water management strategies within the food and pharmaceutical sectors evolving in practice and what specific approaches are companies implementing to adapt to regulatory, operational and sustainability pressures?
- What are the biggest challenges companies are facing to secure and manage high-quality process water?
- Which market segments and geographies are attracting the most capital?
- Which technologies and business models are gaining the most traction among leading food & beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturers?
- Where are the opportunities for suppliers and service providers in industrial water management?
