Across Europe, flood damage driven by climate change is expected to dramatically increase in the years ahead. Helping communities manage and reduce their exposure to water-related risks is a top priority for Xylem, which is one of the reasons the company is expanding its pump rental services in Europe and South Africa.
The cost of flood damage across Europe is set to rise fivefold over the coming decades. Increasingly intense downpours driven by climate change will see flood damages rise from €4.5 billion to €23 billion a year by 2050, according to research by VU University Amsterdam published in the Nature Climate Change journal.
To help cities manage these extreme weather events, Xylem has developed an innovative rental business model. It enables cities to contract for emergency, build resilience through smart preparation and ensure speedy action on the ground with access to thousands of rental assets across the globe. In this way, cities can avoid massive capital expenditure while securing vital flood control services in times of crisis.
Ready when needed
When devastating floods hit the Balkans in 2014, Xylem provided dewatering equipment to assist with the relief effort. The company responded to the emergency within three days, providing Flygt and Lowara drainage pumps to the Belgrade, Obrenovac and Baric regions in Serbia and to the town of Kozarac in northwestern Bosnia. The pumps are specifically designed for this type of operation, capable of handling high volumes and withstanding the toughest operating conditions.
In Texas in May 2015, more than 37 trillion gallons of water fell in the state, leading to record-setting floods. In Houston, Xylem supplemented the city’s fleet of Godwin pumps with additional rental CD150Ms, and pumps were also deployed across other parts of Texas and Oklahoma. After Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, Xylem deployed over 500 dewatering pumps to remove flood water and get businesses and communities back to normal as quickly as possible.
Expanded services in Europe and South Africa
Customers across Europe and South Africa will now have easier access to Xylem’s wide range of pumps, due to the company’s expanded rental services. The expansion will enable Xylem to better meet the market demand from construction, industry, municipal and mining customers across both regions.
Thousands of Xylem rental assets will now be available to customers so that they can receive the right pumps, in the right location, at the right time. The expanded services include both temporary and long-term rental solutions, as well as emergency response to flooding and weather-related catastrophes. Xylem is opening expanded pump rental and service hubs in Paris, Bremen and Madrid, and has already opened a new hub in Johannesburg.
“We continue to experience increased demand for rental from our markets as more and more customers recognize the value of our rental capabilities,” says David Flinton, Senior Vice President and President, Xylem Dewatering. “This significant investment in our capabilities in Europe and South Africa will enable us to better meet our customers’ needs with timely, turn-key solutions from a single source that reduces customers’ administration costs.”
Xylem’s extensive pump rental portfolio includes diesel and electric surface-mounted Godwin pumps and submersible electric Flygt pumps. The company’s Godwin Field Smart Technology also enables remote monitoring and control for optimal and proactive asset utilization.
South Africa
A new pump rental and service hub in Johannesburg brings Xylem’s “one-stop-shop” water removal solution to customers across South Africa. The company has expanded its regional footprint with branches currently serving clients in Gauteng, North-West, Western Cape, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.
France
Xylem’s Paris pump rental hub caters to customers in the municipal, construction, industrial, emergency and mining sectors. For the first time, Xylem’s market-leading diesel and electric Godwin pumps are now available to rent in all 11 Xylem branches in France, along with the submersible electrical Flygt pump portfolio.
Germany
Xylem’s pump rental hub in Bremen serves customers in the municipal, construction, industrial and emergency sectors in Germany, surrounding countries and Scandinavia. The expanded Bremen facility together with the other seven pump rental and service hubs in Germany will meet the growing demand for water removal services.
Spain
Xylem’s Madrid dewatering rental hub offers advanced temporary pumping solutions and is the leading pump rental player in the country. With more than 2,000 pumps ready for use (Flygt and Godwin diesel and electric engines), Xylem offers a complete rental portfolio and experience tailored to the needs of customers in the municipal, industry, mining and construction and emergency segments.