Slovakia: Turning industrial wastewater into ceramic additives

Industrial paint and coating manufacturing generates large volumes of toxic wastewater. Conventional treatments rely on chemical additives and landfill disposal of sludge, which is costly and unsustainable. Seeking to stem the flow of polluted wastewater, Slovak companies, HOFITECH and Novo, and Hungarian company, Aquaprofit, launched a Eureka project titled SmartMic, aimed at developing a new clean technology and addressing one of Europe’s most pressing industrial environmental challenges.

The project partners developed an artificial intelligence-driven electrocoagulation system with a scalable modular design. By running an electric current through hazardous industrial wastewater, the system separates contaminants without any added chemicals. The wastewater goes through several visible stages in its purification; in a particularly foamy moment, the project team imagined it resembled a jacuzzi. The result is two valuable outputs: clean water and mineral-rich recyclable solid residues suitable for re-use in brick and ceramic production.

Eureka gave us the chance to turn an ambitious laboratory idea into a working industrial pilot. Thanks to this support, and our collaboration with Novo and Aquaprofit, SmartMic is now a patented and market-ready cleantech innovation that demonstrates the true value of international collaboration.

Gabriel Horváth – Chief Executive Officer at HOFITECH

Eureka and funding from the Slovakian Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth helped the project partners de-risk early-stage research and development, pool resources and complementary skills and increase their credibility and visibility in international networks. HOFITECH led the process development, Novo contributed electrical engineering excellence, ensuring the electrocoagulation reactors were stable and efficient, and Aquaprofit provided vital know-how in designing the pre-filtration unit.

The project team soon adapted the system for different wastewater streams and validated its performance in industrial contexts, progressing from a laboratory-scale proof of concept to an industrial pilot unit, something they do not believe would have been possible without Eureka support.

SmartMic is now the name of a patented and market-ready product with demonstrated environmental and economic benefits. The technology is being commercialised by Cyrkalogy, a spin-off company based in Slovakia, and it is attracting attention from manufacturing and construction industries seeking greener production pathways. As such, new high-skilled jobs have been created, and the partners have laid the foundation for scaling up and further international market expansion.

The Eureka project has demonstrated that waste is a resource. In recycling wastewater, SmartMic is creating direct economic value, illustrating the potential of innovation-driven circular economy solutions. Uptake of the SmartMic electrocoagulation system can reduce the environmental impact of paint and coating manufacturing waste.