At Elcowire in Helsingborg, Helios Innovations installed an on-site treatment system that purifies process water from metal-laden emulsions — enabling water reuse in production while recovering valuable copper for recycling, replacing costly offsite incineration and landfill.
Helsingborg, Sweden
Manufacturing Process water from Elcowire’s emulsions was previously transported offsite for incineration or landfill — resulting in high costs and significant environmental impact. An efficient treatment solution was needed to reduce freshwater consumption and enable recovery of valuable metals.
An on-site system purifying up to 1,000 m³ of process water per year from two production streams. Using low-temperature evaporation, the water is separated from metal-laden components. After treatment, approximately 900 m³ of water is returned to production — retaining residual isopropanol that reduces the need to purchase new chemicals. The copper-rich concentrate is recovered for recycling.
1,000 m³
process water treated per year
90%
waste volume reduction
3 m³/day
treatment capacity
900 m³
water returned to production
2025
production start
✓
Copper recovered for recycling
90% of the process water is purified and returned directly to production — drastically reducing freshwater demand and eliminating costly offsite disposal.
The copper-rich concentrate is recovered for recycling instead of being sent to landfill or incineration, creating value from what was previously waste.
The treated water retains residual isopropanol, reducing the need to purchase new chemicals and further lowering operating costs.
By treating emulsions on-site and recovering both water and metals, Elcowire has transformed a costly waste stream into a circular resource loop.
The installation demonstrates how manufacturing facilities can reduce their environmental footprint while lowering operating costs — a model for sustainable industrial water management.
Get in touch to explore how Helios can help you reuse water and recover valuable materials from your production streams.
