What Saltworks Technologies does

Saltworks Technologies Inc., founded in 2007 and headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, designs and builds digital modular systems for industrial desalination and lithium refining. Its product architecture is organized around a standardized Uni-RO membrane platform (shared across XtremeRO ultra-high-pressure RO, FusionRO UHP RO/NF, and SelectNF nanofiltration) combined with proprietary chemical, thermal, and electrodialysis unit operations — BrineRefine CSTR, SaltMaker family of evaporator-crystallizers (MVR, MSF, AirBreather, ChilledCrys), FlexEDR with IonFlux membranes, and the Xtract selective ion exchange unit. The integration of these into pre-commissioned, ISO-containerized modular plants lets Saltworks deliver ZLD, MLD, selective contaminant removal, and lithium refining flowsheets with factory-tested reliability, intelligent automation, and remote operations support (ROAM).

The company targets large industrial end-markets — lithium/battery materials (notably the Generation-II DLE and LiRefine systems), mining & metals, oil & gas, semiconductors, data centers, power generation (FGD wastewater), and heavy manufacturing — through direct enterprise sales, EPC partnerships, and pilot testing programs. Revenue is generated primarily from upfront engineering studies, pilot testing, custom system fabrication, commissioning, and increasingly recurring managed services (ROAM) and spare parts. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific. Notable commercial validation includes Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 recognition (#35 in Canada, #112 in North America, 811% revenue growth 2021–2024), a landmark water reuse project with a leading global semiconductor manufacturer, and Project Aurora with EMP Metals targeting 1,500–3,000 tpy commercial-scale lithium production.

The company is privately held, reports 101–250 employees, and has secured roughly CAD $17.7M in disclosed funding since inception — predominantly non-dilutive government and corporate grants (SDTC, PacifiCan, NRCan, BC ICEF, Cenovus, Teck, BP Ventures, ConocoPhillips) — supplemented by testbed awards through Innovate BC and NGen for the lithium refining program.

Name

Saltworks Technologies

Legal name

Saltworks Technologies Inc.

Website

https://saltworkstech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Saltworks Technologies designs and builds digital modular industrial water treatment and lithium refining systems for enterprise customers in lithium, mining, oil & gas, semiconductors, data centers, and power generation, combining proprietary membrane, chemical reactor, and thermal-crystallizer technologies with pilot testing and remote operations services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Water Treatment and Lithium Refining Systems

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Battery Manufacturing (33591)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Reclamation & Reuse Production (Tertiary/Advanced Treatment) (EUANADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial water treatment
• Lithium refining systems
• Zero liquid discharge
• Brine concentration technology
• Membrane desalination

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Desalination & Lithium Refining Systems: Saltworks designs, fabricates, and delivers full-scale digital modular systems combining membrane, thermal, and chemical technologies for industrial water treatment and lithium refining. Systems are sold as flange-to-flange packages including all core unit operations, interconnecting pipework, pumps, controls, and chemical delivery systems. Revenue is generated from upfront engineering, pilot testing, full-scale plant design and fabrication, and commissioning.
2. Pilot Testing & Process Optimization Services: Saltworks offers bench testing, pilot testing (mobile/containerized), and strategic technical consulting to de-risk projects before full-scale investment. Services include chemistry review, mass balance modeling, economic analysis, and regulatory guidance. Revenue is earned through project-based service fees.
3. Remote Operations Asset Management (ROAM): Saltworks provides 24/7 remote monitoring, analytics, predictive maintenance alerts, and operational support for deployed plants. Revenue is recurring, likely tied to service contracts for installed systems.
4. Spare Parts & Consumables: Saltworks maintains an inventory of spare parts and consumables for its installed base, offered through its Part Sales Program. Revenue is generated from on-demand part replacement orders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Saltworks Technologies designs, builds, and delivers digital modular industrial water treatment and lithium refining systems for heavy industry. Its portfolio combines proprietary membrane, electrodialysis reversal, chemical reactor, and thermal evaporator-crystallizer technologies into pre-commissioned ISO-container plants that achieve high freshwater recovery, zero or minimal liquid discharge (ZLD/MLD), selective contaminant removal, and battery-grade lithium carbonate/hydroxide production for mining, oil & gas, semiconductor, data center, power generation, and lithium extraction clients.

Product overview

Saltworks Technologies is an industrial water treatment and lithium refining company that designs, builds, and delivers innovative solutions for treating industrial wastewaters and refining lithium. The company's product portfolio is organized as a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on Digital Modular Systems — end-to-end, pre-commissioned modular plants that integrate multiple unit operation products. Core products include: membrane systems (XtremeRO, FusionRO, SelectNF, XtremeUF), chemical reactors (BrineRefine), evaporators and crystallizers (SaltMaker MVR, MSF, AirBreather, ChilledCrys), selective ion treatment (Xtract), and electrodialysis reversal (FlexEDR with IonFlux membranes). These individual products are combined into system-level offerings for Selective Contaminant Removal, Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD), Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), and Lithium Refining Systems. The company also provides supporting services including Strategic Technical Services, Pilot Test Services, a Lithium Test Center with in-house mini-refineries, and Remote Operations Asset Management (ROAM).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• XtremeRO Ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis (UHP RO) system that concentrates brine up to 130,000 mg/L TDS for industrial desalination applications. Available in 600 psi, 1,200 psi, and 1,800 psi configurations, shared on the standardized Uni-RO platform with XtremeRO, FusionRO, and SelectNF. For industrial clients in lithium refining, mining, oil & gas, power, and high-salinity wastewater treatment.
• FusionRO Ultra-high pressure reverse osmosis and nanofiltration hybrid (UHP RO/NF) system that cascades multiple UHP RO-NF loops to achieve brine concentrations exceeding 200,000 mg/L TDS. Delivered on the Uni-RO standardized platform for maximum brine concentration in lithium refining, ZLD/MLD, and high-salinity industrial desalination.
• SelectNF Selective nanofiltration system on the Uni-RO platform that produces saline permeate largely consisting of monovalent ions while rejecting multivalent impurities such as sulfates, calcium, and silica. For industrial desalination, lithium refining, and selective contaminant removal applications.
• XtremeUF Robust ultrafiltration platform available in ceramic (XUF-C) and polymeric (XUF-P) variants for filtering suspended solids, oils, grease, precipitated by-products, bacteria, viruses, and particles of approximately 0.01 to 1 µm. Pre-treatment for industrial desalination, lithium refining, and ZLD systems.
• BrineRefine Smart, compact, modular continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) that executes chemical reactions efficiently for impurity removal, chemical softening, and lithium carbonate production with intelligent automation and excellent scaling-ion management. Removes silica, hardness, and multivalent impurities and produces >99.9% lithium carbonate without coagulation, flocculation, or large clarifiers.
• SaltMaker MVR Mechanical vapor recompression (electric) evaporator-crystallizer that uses a compressor to evaporate vapor from brine and condense distilled water, recycling heat of condensation. Available in MVR-30 configuration with 30 TPH capacity. Includes patented intelligent automation with self-diagnosis and self-correction controls. Factory-built in ISO-container sizes for rapid deployment in ZLD and lithium refining applications.
• SaltMaker MSF Multi-stage flash (thermal) evaporator and crystallizer that uses thermal energy across multiple effects to evaporate vapor from brine, lowering electrical energy consumption through recycled heat of condensation. Factory-built in ISO-container sizes for rapid deployment in ZLD and lithium refining applications.
• SaltMaker AirBreather First open-to-atmosphere evaporator-crystallizer with patented low-emission technology ensuring zero contact of wastewater to the atmosphere and compliance with VOC, methanol, and particulate emission targets. Operates at low temperatures (as low as 50°C / 120°F), enabling use of low-grade waste heat.
• SaltMaker ChilledCrys Eutectic chilled crystallization system that forces salts to precipitate at low temperatures, offering an energy-efficient alternative to thermal evaporators for specific water chemistries with steep temperature-solubility relationships.
• Xtract Modular selective ion exchange and adsorption system designed to selectively remove or recover targeted ions such as hardness, boron, PFAS, metals, and lithium from high-TDS solutions. For advanced water treatment and lithium refining applications.
• FlexEDR Advanced electrodialysis reversal (EDR) platform using next-generation IonFlux ion exchange membranes with self-cleaning intelligence, fewer pre-treatment requirements, tolerance for oils and organics, and selective monovalent ion removal. Variants include FlexEDR Organix (high-organic wastewaters) and FlexEDR Selective (98% monovalent ionic selectivity). No chemical softening required due to patented electrode protection.
• IonFlux Next-generation ion exchange membranes delivering best-in-class selectivity, conductivity, chemical and pH tolerance (pH 0-12, up to 60°C), mechanical durability, and C1-C10 hydrocarbon tolerance. 98% monovalent ionic selectivity — 40% higher than conventional membranes. Available in anion/cation selective, monovalent ion selective, proton selective, and proton blocking variants. Sold as a standalone membrane product line integrated into FlexEDR systems and customer electrodialysis platforms.
• Digital Modular Systems End-to-end industrial desalination and lithium refining systems combining Saltworks' advanced products into fully digitized modular plants with pre-commissioned, ready-to-install packages. Each system includes all core process unit operations, interconnecting pipework, pumps, controls, chemical delivery systems, and single-access total plant control. Sold as flange-to-flange packages to industrial clients in lithium, mining, oil & gas, semiconductors, data centers, and power generation.
• Selective Contaminant Removal (SCR) Systems Cost-effective selective contaminant removal systems that surgically target specific ions (hydrofluoric acid waste, heavy metals, sulfates, scaling ions) avoiding full-stream treatment while minimizing waste residuals. For industrial clients needing targeted ion removal rather than full desalination.
• Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) Systems Membrane-based systems maximizing freshwater recovery while minimizing remaining saline brine using optimal blend of advanced RO technologies (600 psi to 1800 psi to FusionRO) for cost-effective and reliable wastewater treatment. Delivered as modular ISO-container plants.
• Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Systems Economically treats saline brines to produce solid salt while recovering remaining water as distillate, combining membrane-based MLD systems with advanced SaltMaker evaporator and crystallizer options for challenging waters. For industrial clients needing full ZLD compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% freshwater recovery achieved in pilot testing on cooling tower blowdown
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• EMP Metals Corp.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Saltworks Technologies serves as the technology partner for EMP Metals' Project Aurora — Canada's first lithium brine-to-battery refinery demonstration plant in Saskatchewan. Saltworks designed and fabricated the Generation-II lithium refining system at its Richmond, BC facility, which was shipped and installed at the Saskatchewan site. The demonstration plant processes 10 m³/day of raw brine to produce battery-grade lithium chemicals, targeting commercial-scale development of 1,500–3,000 tonnes per year of lithium production.
• Global Semiconductor ManufacturercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Saltworks was selected by a leading global semiconductor manufacturer to provide critical water recovery and zero liquid discharge infrastructure. The project includes advanced water treatment systems designed for demanding semiconductor manufacturing facilities, with the potential to enhance operational reliability and sustainability.
• NORAM Electrolysis SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2024Saltworks and NORAM Electrolysis Systems jointly secured over $9 million in Canadian government funding to support lithium battery supply chain development in British Columbia. The investment advances lithium processing technologies, including lithium brine concentration (Saltworks' domain) and membrane electrolysis (NORAM's domain), enhancing Canada's critical mineral industry.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: Ecolab's Nalco Water segment provides industrial water management solutions including chemicals, equipment, and digital monitoring to mining, manufacturing, and power customers. Overlaps with Saltworks in industrial water and process water treatment but at much larger scale.
• Veolia Water Technologies: Veolia is one of the world's largest water technology and service providers with broad industrial water treatment, ZLD, and process water offerings. Overlaps significantly with Saltworks in mining, oil & gas, power, and chemicals but serves as a much broader portfolio incumbent.
• SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions: SUEZ provides industrial water treatment, chemicals, and process solutions to similar end markets including mining, oil & gas, power, and manufacturing. Comparable in industrial customer base but operates at significantly larger scale with broader service offerings.
• Koch Separation Solutions: Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) manufactures membrane and filtration products for industrial water and wastewater treatment. Comparable in membrane technology focus (RO/NF/UF) and serves overlapping industrial customers including mining and chemicals.

Others

• Energy Recovery Inc: Energy Recovery manufactures energy recovery devices and pumps for desalination and industrial water treatment. Comparable as a technology provider in industrial desalination and overlaps with Saltworks' high-pressure RO applications, though it is a components supplier rather than systems integrator.

Direct peers

• IDE Technologies: IDE Technologies designs, builds, and operates industrial and municipal desalination plants with proprietary membrane and thermal technologies. Highly comparable in industrial desalination focus and project-based delivery to industrial customers.
• De Nora: De Nora provides electrochemical technologies including electrodialysis, electrode coatings, and water treatment systems used in industrial and lithium processing applications. Directly comparable to Saltworks' FlexEDR/IonFlux electrodialysis platform and lithium refining positioning.
• Fluence Corporation: Fluent provides decentralized water and wastewater treatment systems including desalination and ZLD for industrial and municipal clients. Comparable modular approach and overlap in mining, oil & gas, and industrial wastewater applications.
• Gradiant Corporation: Gradiant builds industrial water and wastewater treatment solutions with a focus on ZLD and brine management for similar end markets including semiconductors, mining, and lithium. Directly comparable to Saltworks in target customers, ZLD/MLD offerings, and project-based delivery model.

Emerging players

• Lilac Solutions: Lilac Solutions develops direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology using ion exchange beads for lithium brine processing. Comparable to Saltworks in the lithium value chain, though Saltworks operates primarily in post-DLE refining while Lilac focuses on extraction itself.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/saltworkstech
• Facebookfacebook.com/saltworkstech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saltworkstech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds13 records

Investors12 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saltworks Technologies