Key Takeaways
- Membrion, founded by Greg Newbloom, specializes in electro-ceramic desalination membranes for treating complex wastewater in industries like semiconductor manufacturing, mining, and chemical processing.
- The company's technology addresses challenges of corrosive and heavy-metal-laden wastewater, offering cost-effective and efficient solutions compared to traditional filtration methods.
- Membrion differentiates itself with durable ceramic membranes that perform better in harsh conditions, providing onsite, reliable treatment systems that help customers comply with environmental regulations and reduce operational risks.
Greg Newbloom, Ph.D., is the founder & CEO of Membrion, a cleantech startup focused on recycling wastewater from harsh industrial processes. Membrion makes electro-ceramic desalination (ECD) membranes out of the same material as the silica gel desiccant packets found in the bottom of a beef jerky package. Dr. Newbloom’s leadership and entrepreneurial efforts have been recognized by a half-dozen regional and national awards including a “35 under 35” from the American Institute of Chemical Engineering and a 2024 Meaningful Business 100 award (MB100).
He has 50 patents in addition to co-authorship of a textbook and 300+ citations in many publications. His work is regularly featured in both local and national media. Dr. Newbloom has a BA in Science from Oregon State University, an MA in Science from The University of Washington, and holds his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), in Chemical Engineering also from The University of Washington.
Tell us about your company:
Membrion is a pioneering technology company that specializes in electro-ceramic desalination membranes. We help industries manage some of the toughest wastewater challenges, providing innovative solutions that handle high-salinity, acidic, and heavy-metal-laden wastewater in addition to advanced recovery objectives in water stressed areas. Our focus is on sustainable water reuse, ensuring that companies can meet their environmental goals without compromising on efficiency.
What problems are you solving?
We address the critical need for efficient and cost-effective wastewater treatment, especially in industries dealing with corrosive and complex effluents. Traditional filtration methods often struggle with these challenging conditions, but our ceramic membranes excel where others fail, providing an effective way to treat and recycle water in even the harshest environments.
What application areas are your strongest?
Our strongest applications are in industries with highly complex wastewater streams, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal finishing, mining, and chemical processing. These sectors often face the most stringent regulations and operational challenges when it comes to wastewater treatment, and Membrion’s solutions are tailor-made to meet those needs.
What keeps your customers up at night?
Our customers are concerned about staying compliant with changing environmental regulations, reducing their water consumption, and finding cost-effective ways to manage wastewater. They also worry about system downtime due to trucking delays and fouling or corrosion in their current water treatment systems, which can halt production and increase costs. Membrion alleviates these concerns by offering onsite, durable, reliable, and high-performing membrane technology that minimizes these risks.
What does the competitive landscape look like and how do you differentiate?
The water treatment industry is full of conventional polymeric membranes and chemical-based treatments. Membrion stands out by offering a unique ceramic membrane that is more durable and resistant to harsh conditions. Unlike competitors, our technology thrives in highly acidic, saline, and heavy metal-contaminated wastewater, offering a longer lifespan and better performance over time. This differentiation enables our customers to reduce operating costs while achieving their sustainability goals.
What new features/technology are you working on?
We are continually improving the efficiency and longevity of our ceramic membranes, exploring advanced applications in emerging markets such as mineral extraction (copper, lithium, and others) and battery recycling. We are also working on expanding our modular membrane systems to be more scalable and easier to integrate into existing industrial setups.
We offer a Water Service Agreement to our customers which provides a no-risk, performance-based model where you only pay for treated water that meets your specifications. With no upfront costs for equipment or maintenance, Membrion guarantees effective wastewater treatment at a lower price than traditional methods.
How do customers normally engage with your company?
Customers typically engage with us through direct consultations, where we assess their specific wastewater challenges and design customized solutions. We also partner with engineering firms and integrators to implement our technology into new or existing water treatment systems. Additionally, we offer pilot programs to allow customers to test our membranes in their operations before committing to full-scale adoption. If you think Membrion solutions will be a good fit for your facility, let us know your wastewater challenges: https://membrion.com/contact-us/.
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