SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland (Jan. 19, 2016) – Xylem Inc. announced that it is expanding its pump rental and service portfolio across Europe and South Africa through a multi-million euro investment. This expansion initiative will enable Xylem to better meet the market demand from construction, industry, municipal and mining customers across both regions. In addition, the investment also supports Xylem’s global strategy to help build resilient communities that are more prepared to respond to extreme weather events.

The expansion makes thousands of Xylem rental assets available to customers across Europe, positioning the right fleet mix in the right location at the right time to meet customer needs. The combination of Xylem’s pumps and dewatering expertise will serve customer demand for temporary and long-term rental solutions, as well as emergency response to flooding and weather-related catastrophes. 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 ‘Nature Climate Change’ journal.*

Xylem is opening expanded pump rental and service hubs in Paris, France; Bremen, Germany, and Madrid, Spain, that will work in close partnership to serve customers across Europe. A new pump rental and service hub in Johannesburg brings Xylem’s ‘one-stop-shop’ water removal solution to customers across South Africa. In addition to Xylem’s extensive pump rental portfolio, which includes diesel and electric surface-mounted Godwin pumps and submersible electric Flygt pumps, Xylem will invest in advanced technologies, such as its Godwin Field Smart Technology, which enables remote monitoring and control for optimal and proactive asset utilization. Xylem’s pump rental portfolio is complemented by extensive capability to develop customized solutions to complex water removal applications.

Xylem’s new Johannesburg, South Africa, pump rental hub in Gauteng opened its doors October 1, 2015, expanding Xylem’s global investment into emerging markets and accelerating its rental growth in Africa. The company has expanded its regional footprint with branches currently serving clients in Gauteng, North-West, Western Cape, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.

Xylem’s Paris pump rental hub caters to customers in the municipal, construction, industrial, emergency and mining sectors. The company has experienced strong growth in its rental offering in recent years, and the expansion of this hub will enable Xylem to further grow its presence in the market. For the first time, Xylem’s 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.

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.

Xylem’s Madrid dewatering rental hub offers advanced temporary pumping solutions and is a leading pump rental player in the country.

*http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v4/n4/full/nclimate2124.html