Water solutions specialist Talbot opened its Industrial Water Security Hub at Dube TradePort on March 20.

Talbot provides sustainable water and wastewater solutions across Africa for businesses reliant on secure, high-quality water for processing, manufacturing and effluent treatment.

More than 180 partners, clients, and industry stakeholders attended the launch, highlighting the growing urgency of water security as climate pressure intensifies.

The move follows the company outgrowing its Pietermaritzburg headquarters, which will remain operational until July. Dube TradePort is now Talbot’s primary base. The 3 500m² facility will house expanded laboratory and research functions, as well as the Smart Water Control Centre.

Chief executive officer Carl Haycock said the site’s proximity to King Shaka International Airport will improve sample transport and turnaround times, reinforcing Talbot’s commitment to sustainable industrial water use.

“Water security is becoming a critical global issue,” said Haycock.

“Water availability and quality are directly linked to business continuity.”

Director Micole Martens said the new lab boosts testing capacity and introduces advanced instrumentation to analyse emerging contaminants, including synthetic chemicals, dioxins, furans and pharmaceuticals.

“It allows us to expand both the scale and scope of testing available and positions us to become one of the largest water testing facilities in Africa,” Martens said.