A WYEDEAN company has won a prestigious national award for innovation.

The UK’s leading water treatment specialist – Monmouth-based and founded Siltbuster – scooped the Manufacturing Innovation category at the Made in Wales awards for its range of highly effective systems designed to treat polluting concrete washwater with a pH equivalent of oven cleaner.

A glittering awards ceremony in Cardiff celebrated the most innovative, sustainable and forward-thinking manufacturers in Wales.

And Siltbuster beat the competition to win particular recognition from the judges for its contribution to environmental protection.

Douglas Friedli, editor at Wales Business Insider, said: “Siltbuster’s technology tackles a widespread problem in a successful and inventive way.

“Made in Wales’ panel of judges were impressed at the way that it has been adopted across the construction industry.”

A company spokesperson said that concrete washwater arises on most construction sites, often when equipment that has come into contact with fresh concrete is washed down.

The pollutant, which typically has a pH between 12 and 13 will damage vegetation and ecosystems if released into the natural environment, killing fish and other aquatic life.

Before Siltbuster’s involvement, the discharge of concrete washwater back into the environment was not on the agenda as an issue, they added.

The firm first started pushing for change, challenging the preconception with the launch of the innovative Roadside Concrete Washout in 2009.

Promotion of the product raised awareness throughout the UK and had a direct influence on legislation with the Environment Agency producing a regulatory position statement dealing with concrete washwater.

Siltbuster’s industry-leading treatment process uses carbon dioxide vapour to neutralise highly alkaline washwater.

The process is the most safe, cost-effective and easiest to control treatment method in existence.

The judges particularly applauded Siltbuster’s expanding range of concrete washout systems that mean it can operate on any sized construction site – large or small.

Richard D Coulton, general manager (construction) at Siltbuster, said: “We are thrilled that our work within the construction industry – especially our commitment to innovation and the environment – has been recognised in this way.

“It’s a fantastic acco- lade that we are immensely proud of, and shows that we are serious about establishing a world-renowned centre for water treatment excellence here in Wales.”

Founded in Monmouth in 2003, Siltbuster is recognised as a world-leading authority on water treatment.

Its systems are used in more than 30 countries and have been deployed on a range of international rail and tunnelling projects, including the Grand Paris Express (GPE), the Doha Metro in Qatar, the West Link metro extension in Gothenburg, Crossrail, the Thames Tideway Tunnel and Stuttgart S21.

Last year, the company moved a few hundred yards from its former base into a purpose-built £4.3m HQ on Wonastow Road.

For more information about Siltbuster’s technology and other products and services, visit www.siltbuster.com or call 01600 772256.