In early January, ABB announced the acquisition of Real Tech, a Canadian company and leading provider of optical sensor technology for real-time water monitoring and testing. The acquisition was finalized on February 1st, prompting a discussion with Jean-René Roy and Jodi Glover about the future of this partnership.
“I am very excited to welcome all our new colleagues to ABB Measurement & Analytics,” stated Jean-René Roy, Global Business Line Manager, ABB Measurement & Analytics. “The Real Tech team will be joining the Continuous Water Analysis team within the Business Line Analytical, ABB Measurement & Analytics.”
With the acquisition of Real Tech, ABB strengthens its position in the water sector, particularly in the rapidly growing municipal and industrial wastewater treatment segments. This strategic move aligns with the increasing global emphasis on sustainable water management.
“Our products and market expertise are a perfect match,” Roy added. “Real Tech’s optical technology is a crucial addition to our product portfolio, facilitating smart water management.”
Real Tech, founded two decades ago, has been dedicated to enhancing water management by introducing optical sensors and measurement capabilities typically confined to laboratories into plant and process environments.
“Real Tech has made optical sensors more practical, precise, and cost-effective, thereby increasing the availability of real-time monitoring for a variety of parameters and compounds,” said Jodi Glover, CEO and co-founder of Real Tech. “Most plants possess ‘commodity sensors’ like pH, DO, conductivity, and turbidity, which provide valuable real-time data on water quality. However, measuring other critical water quality parameters still relies on delayed laboratory testing, which can leave operators unaware of significant changes in water quality, hindering their ability to rapidly optimize treatment and control due to the lack of immediate monitoring data.”
According to Glover, managing water and wastewater poses both a responsibility and a challenge, especially given the context of growing water scarcity, environmental pollution, increasingly stringent regulations, and rising treatment costs. “Our acquisition by ABB will accelerate the advancement of smart water management. The time for advancing water into a new era is now. We need to transform how we are managing water, and I am very excited about our role in improving the industry.”
Jean-René Roy anticipates that Real Tech will experience significant improvements in market access. “The combined expertise of Real Tech and ABB will expedite the deployment of Real Tech’s technologies through ABB’s extensive global sales and service network. This collaboration is a growth opportunity that will create numerous new prospects for both our customers and our employees.”
