Impregilo and Chinese Firms Form Desalination Joint Venture

Italian construction major Impregilo has signed a deal with Chinese companies to relaunch its loss-making desalination business.

The joint venture expects annual global desalination investment to double to $16.6bn in 2016 from $8.3bn in 2010, and the synergy will make the group more competitive.

The joint venture will combine the expertise of Impregilo’s desalination unit Fisia Italimpianti with the industrial capabilities of Shanghai Electric to boost the bidding power and make the procurement of components easier, according to forexyard.com.

Impregilo has also signed a deal with Shanghai Electric Group and China Development Bank for a €500m water desalination project.