Providing Access to Water in Remote Areas: The Case of Trunz Watersystems AG in India

Trunz Water Systems AG (TWS) was founded in 2007 by a team of 12 experts from water treatment, metal construction and project management. TWS was the youngest business unit of the Trunz Group, a leading metal construction company from Switzerland with 40 years of history. TWS manufactured and distributed sustainable and cost efficient solutions for water purification, water desalination combined with solar power generation. The innovative company offered unique and sustainable solutions for decentralised potable water and electricity supply especially suited for rural areas. The product solutions of TWS were exceptionally energy efficient, independent, compact and environmentally friendly. In 2012, TWS was among the most competitive companies in this niche market and as of June 2012, over 550 TWS projects were operating in more than 30 countries all over the world. However, the market entry in India was not yet successfully completed and top management of TWS was thinking about appropriate business models that would help in successfully expanding in the Indian market.