Danish high-tech water technology company Aquaporin A/S has announced the signing of binding agreements to form a water treatment Joint Venture, Aquapoten, in China with two Chinese partners, Heilongjiang Interchina Water Treatment (Interchina) and Poten Environment (Poten), and major equity investment in Aquaporin by Interchina and Poten resulting in a 20.1% ownership stake.

Aquapoten will have a total equity of DKK 60 million. Poten Environment, a China-based, privately held environmental protection company and the largest investor, will invest DKK 27 million (45%), Heilongjiang Interchina will invest DKK 12 million (20%) and Aquaporin, the Denmark-based water treatment company, the remaining DKK 21 million (35%).

Interchina and Poten will jointly invest DKK 115 million in a 20.1% stake in Aquaporin. Aquaporin’s majority shareholder, M. Goldschmidt Capital A/S, has sold a small portion of its shares and the remaining investment will be used to purchase new shares to be issued by Aquaporin.

The business objectives of the Joint Venture, Aquapoten, are to develop, commercialize, and promote biomimetic membrane technologies, to develop, commercialize, manufacture and sell biomimetic membrane products, water treatment/desalination systems and other applications utilizing biomimetic membranes focusing on the Chinese market.

Heilongjiang Interchina Water Treatment is engaged in water supply and drainage, the provision of sewage treatment service and engineering consulting service, as well as the sale of related equipment. The company was founded on November 3, 1998 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

Poten Environment Group Co., Ltd. provides integrated solutions for waste water treatment. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Beijing, China.

Aquaporin A/S, established in 2005, is a global cleantech company located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Aquaporin is dedicated to revolutionizing water purification by means of industrial biotech techniques and thinking. The main strategy is to develop the Aquaporin Inside™ technology capable of separating and purifying water from all other compounds

Bruun & Hjejle acted as legal counsel to Heilongjiang Interchina Water Treatment and Poten Environment.