Yeungnam University transfers reverse-osmosis technology to Coway Entech

Yeungnam University said Thursday it has transferred its reverse-osmosis concentrate treatment technology — long considered one of the hardest problems in water reuse — to water treatment specialist Coway Entech Co., marking an industry-academia collaboration that brings the university's research to the industrial sector.

The university held a signing ceremony with Coway Entech on Aug. 12 to formalize the technology transfer and lay the groundwork for commercialization and expanded industry-academia cooperation.

Yeungnam University President Choi Oe-chul and Coway Entech CEO Bang Yun-hyeok attended the ceremony, along with officials from both institutions.

Coway Entech is the water treatment subsidiary of Coway Co. — a lifestyle solutions company led by CEO Seo Jang-won — and operates across a range of environmental engineering businesses, including industrial plant water treatment, municipal wastewater treatment and reuse, water purification and industrial wastewater treatment.

"Concentrate treatment has long been the final link in water reuse and a challenge that needed to be solved," Bang said. "We expect this technology acquisition to advance the circular structure of domestic water use and contribute to expanding water reuse."

President Choi said the technology transfer was "a meaningful example of industry-academia collaboration in which the university's outstanding research results have been transferred to a company and led to real industrial innovation and technology commercialization."