Industrial Water and Gas Monitoring: Market Solutions and Key Players Overview

Any industrial production today involves not only machinery and reactors but also dozens, if not hundreds, of measurement channels. Level and flow sensors, gas analyzers, emission control systems, automated water treatment lines — all these work in unison to ensure product compliance with standards and that environmental safety raises no questions from regulators. The task is challenging: one must simultaneously monitor flue gas composition, wastewater quality, process fluid parameters, and optimize energy consumption.

A pool of companies has emerged on the market whose solutions have become the de facto standard for such tasks. This article discusses them. And at the end, I will explain how my partners and I can implement all of this on a turnkey basis — from design to after-sales service.

Leading Global Manufacturers: Who Is Who

SICK is known to many as a company that provides "sensory organs" for industry. Their sensors and machine vision cameras are used wherever precision is required: from quality control on conveyor belts to logistics. But SICK is also strong in liquid and gas measurement. Ultrasonic flow meters, radar level meters, emission analysis systems — these allow a plant to understand how much water or gas is flowing through a pipe and how clean it is. Their non-contact solutions for aggressive media, where conventional methods fail, are particularly impressive.

Endress+Hauser is traditionally associated with measurement instrumentation for liquids. At any chemical or food plant, or at a water treatment station, you will find their pH sensors, conductivity meters, flow meters, and density analyzers. For decades, the company has built expertise in measuring everything that flows: from ultrapure water to viscous petroleum products. Their Netilion Water platform transforms disparate data into clear reports on water quality at all stages — from intake to discharge.

However, in early 2025, an event changed the landscape. Endress+Hauser and SICK announced a strategic partnership in the process automation field. In short: Endress+Hauser took over the sales and service of all SICK gas analyzers and flow meters worldwide. Approximately 800 SICK employees from 42 countries transferred to Endress+Hauser, and the production of these instruments is now concentrated in a joint venture, Endress+Hauser SICK GmbH+Co. KG (50/50). For the customer, this means one thing: you can now obtain both liquid and gas solutions from a single source, with unified support. Previously, SICK handled gas and Endress+Hauser handled water; now their competencies are merged.

Siemens approaches automation differently — through digital twins. Their ecosystem includes not only controllers and sensors but also powerful software for simulating production before physical startup. In monitoring, Siemens is known for its ultrasonic level meters for pumping stations, AI-based sewer network control systems, and, of course, gas analyzers — from portable to stationary chromatographs. If end-to-end automation with a unified control platform is needed, Siemens is often the number one choice.

ABB focuses on energy efficiency and direct current systems — particularly relevant when a plant adds solar panels, energy storage, or electric forklift chargers. But ABB also offers robust solutions for water management: the AquaMaster4 electromagnetic flow meters can detect pipeline leaks, and the Ability™ System 800xA® distributed control system collects data from all water treatment stages. In gas analysis, ABB is one of the global leaders, especially in spectrometry for industrial emission control.

Dr. Födisch represents German specialization "squared." Since 1991, the company has exclusively focused on atmospheric environmental monitoring: dust measurement, gas analysis, filter monitoring. Their systems operate at thermal power plants, cement plants, and waste incineration facilities — wherever emission requirements are the strictest in Europe. Since 2022, Dr. Födisch has been part of the ABB Group but has retained its brand and engineering expertise. If you need continuous monitoring of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen chloride, or fine particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), Dr. Födisch solutions are among the best.

Russian Developments: No Worse, and Sometimes More Convenient

In parallel with global giants, domestic engineering companies have grown in Russia, capable of offering not only import substitution but also more flexible service. Two key players stand out: METRAN and Eurotechlab.

METRAN is one of the recognized leaders in the Russian market for instrumentation and automation. In 2022, the company was named the best Russian manufacturer in this field. Their core expertise lies in creating integrated systems for industry. METRAN's portfolio includes:

• A wide range of measurement instruments: from pressure, temperature, and flow sensors to complex analytical equipment.

• In-house gas analyzers for environmental and process control, such as the Metran AG model, which is listed in the State Register of Measuring Instruments of the Russian Federation and designed for continuous measurement of industrial emissions and process gases.

• Comprehensive monitoring systems: the company offers an "Emission and Discharge Monitoring System" capable of addressing environmental control tasks at an enterprise in a comprehensive manner.

METRAN actively utilizes international technologies as well. For example, in 2022, at its own boiler house, they launched a Rosemount CEMS automatic emission control system that successfully measures NO, NO₂, CO₂, CO, and O₂. This experience allows them to offer the market both proprietary and proven global solutions.

Eurotechlab (ETL) is one of the most prominent companies at the intersection of integration and proprietary development. Founded in 2009, it has evolved from implementing foreign equipment to creating its own gas analyzers. Today, their flagship product is the FTIRGAS 22, a multi-component analyzer based on Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. It measures up to 30 components simultaneously (CO, NOx, SO₂, HCl, HF, NH₃, volatile organic compounds, and many others) and is listed in the State Register of Measuring Instruments of the Russian Federation. Other product lines include ETL-GAS 24 (hot gas, UV-DOAS) and ETL-GAS 10/20 (cold gas, NDIR/UV-DOAS). The company holds "Small Technology Company" status, has received grants from the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises, and was an official partner of Dr. Födisch from 2015, being recognized as one of the best global partners in 2021.

Important clarification: Starting in 2022, Eurotechlab has focused on developing its own technologies. Since then, their cooperation with Dr. Födisch has changed. Currently, Eurotechlab is not an official partner of Dr. Födisch, having chosen to prioritize the development of its unique product — the FTIRGAS 22 gas analyzer line. This has enabled them to offer the market a fully domestic solution independent of imported supplies.

Over 15 years, Eurotechlab has implemented more than 140 automatic emission control systems at major enterprises in Russia and the CIS — in the energy, oil refining, metallurgy, and chemical sectors. This is a case where a Russian product is not inferior to imported counterparts and often excels in delivery speed and adaptation to local regulations.

Other Russian players include SIBUR Digital Solutions (digital platforms for environmental monitoring), Termo-Prom (gas analyzers for workplace air), and OKB Spektr (optical gas analyzers). However, in terms of a comprehensive approach and the availability of proprietary high-tech developments, Eurotechlab and METRAN stand out particularly brightly today.

What and Where We Measure: Two Main Areas

In summary, all the mentioned companies address two major groups of tasks.

Liquid Media Monitoring — this includes water, process solutions, and wastewater. Parameters measured: pH, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, residual chlorine, COD, and BOD. Applications range from drinking water supply to industrial effluent treatment. Key players here are Endress+Hauser, Siemens, ABB, as well as VEGA and Yokogawa (worth mentioning — the former famous for radar level meters, the latter for river and lake analyzers).

Gas Media Monitoring — this involves smokestacks, ventilation emissions, and process gas streams. Measured components: CO, CO₂, NOx, SO₂, HCl, HF, NH₃, dust, VOC. Applications include everything related to environmental reporting and compliance with emission limit values. Key players here are Endress+Hauser (after merging with SICK), Dr. Födisch, Siemens, ABB, and the Russian companies METRAN and Eurotechlab.

A modern enterprise rarely limits itself to just one area. Often a comprehensive solution is needed: gas analyzers on stacks, water quality analyzers at discharge points, pumping station automation, and energy resource metering. And this brings us to the most important part.

How to Implement All This Without Losing Your Mind

The listed equipment is complex, expensive, and critical. It cannot simply be purchased and left in a cabinet. The system composition must be correctly selected (for specific emission sources or production lines), sampling points designed, installation performed, configuration completed, and integration with the existing process control system achieved. And then — regular maintenance, calibration, and updates.

This is precisely where my partners and I operate. We do not sell boxes — we build systems. From design to commissioning. From the initial site survey to a three-year service contract. We utilize equipment from all the mentioned manufacturers — both global and Russian — and select what is optimal for your task. We can build a fully automated emission monitoring station with data transmission to Rosprirodnadzor. We can set up a water quality monitoring system at a treatment facility. We can design and install on a turnkey basis any of the described scenarios.

If you need more than just an overview — a specific solution for your production — let's discuss it.