Artificial intelligence is not the enemy, but a friend for Europe as a business location.
OUR PLANET
IS BLUE
71 PERCENT
OF THE WORLD’S
SURFACE IS COVERED
BY WATER. IT IS
THE ELIXIR OF LIFE.
BUT AS PLENTIFUL
AS IT SEEMS …
... WATER IS BECOMING AN
INCREASINGLY SCARCE
RESOURCE.
The world’s growing population, rising
prosperity and an agriculture suffering
under environmental pressures are
increasing the global need for water.
Even if water resources can essentially
regenerate, availability is limited.
Around 4 billion people experience acute
water shortages at least one month a y ear.
It is expected that by 2040 one in f our
children will grow up in a region that is
suffering from extreme water stress.
The trend to urbanisation continues unabated around the world. Around 70 percent of people are expected to live in cities by 2050. This is constantly increasing the toll on existing infrastructure. Even today, one third of treated drinking water already seeps away, while climate extremes such as heavy rain and droughts are requiring ever more intelligent offers so that the water supply can be guaranteed.
Supported by artificial intelligence, pump systems can significantly reduce the losses caused by leakages. Predictive maintenance approaches recognise problems as soon as possible and minimise damage. With intelligent AI solutions, new possibilities are additionally opening up in the area of wastewater, which will enable the currently small proportion of recyclable sewage to grow significantly in the future.
Accounting for around 70 percent of freshwater extraction, agriculture is the world’s largest user of water. Today, more than half of the water is lost or wasted during conventional irrigation – through evaporation, leaks, bad timing or overwatering. So the pressure on water resources rises enormously.
Wilo combines advanced water technology and artificial intelligence. Smart irrigation integrates soil moisture sensors, weather data and other specific parameters in an AI-powered control system for intelligent irrigation. In conjunction with smart irrigation, the conversion to more efficient irrigation procedures helps reduce water losses by around 70 percent and thus also increases water efficiency to the same extent. This means savings in water consumption of up to 33 percent.
Clean water is a basic requirement for good health, but billions of people do not have reliable access to it. Poor water, sanitary and hygiene conditions are responsible for 80 percent of illnesses in developing countries. Even in modern healthcare facilities, a reliable supply of water is essential for survival – from the operating theatre to the intensive care ward.
Wilo’s water technology guarantees a constant water supply on all floors of hospitals and clinics – AI-powered systems anticipate demand and ensure the right pressure in the water supply system at all times. Remote monitoring in real time allows faults to be identified and rectified before they can endanger patient care. This is how reliable water technology becomes an invisible cornerstone of modern medicine.
Semiconductor production and data centers are key industries in the digital and AI age – and also energy and water-intensive at the same time. There are over 11,000 data centres in operation around the world, all needing water for cooling – and the number is rapidly increasing. In addition, each AI calculation generates heat that has to be dissipated. Solutions that reliably provide cooling and process water and that measurably reduce the water footprint are in demand.
Highly efficient, specialised and reliable water technology manages the thermal load in data centers intelligently. AI-managed systems optimise the use of energy in real time and minimise the water required for cooling. Which means that there is further high potential
for sustainable increases in performance.
Oliver Hermes, President & Global CEO of the Wilo Group
The past year has challenged the global community – once again. The strong momentum of geopolitical and geoeconomic developments of the first half of the decade continued over the past year. In this extremely challenging environment, the Wilo Group was able to develop sustainably and profitably.
With currency-adjusted net sales growth of 4.5 percent, we have successfully continued our growth trajectory. As planned, EBITDA increased significantly by 39 percent, reaching EUR 212,0 million. The EBITDA margin improved to 11.1 percent. Accordingly, consolidated net income also climbed by EUR 45.8 million to EUR 65.0 million – and thus by around 240 percent. Free cash flow rose by more than 80 percent to EUR 66.4 million.
The world is not spinning any faster today than it was ten years ago. The truth is that global political and economic developments have become more complex, more fragmented and thus more unmanageable. And that is not a comforting thought. The response to this diagnosis can therefore not consist of mere window dressing.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine triggered a geopolitical turning point, which has led in turn to a geoeconomic turning point. As the CEO of a multinational group with German roots, I have seen European decision-makers swear ever since in speeches, key notes and panel discussions that the world has changed. But, in reality, they hope that they are wrong. They hope that the world will recover again. That protectionism will peter out. And that the traditional European business model will work again – some day. But the change that Europe needs has to start by acknowledging the truth.
The more confusing the situation is, the sharper our analysis has to be.
The questions we are seeking answers to are many and varied – but they are all interlinked. Everything is connected. This complexity can be illustrated using three key challenges that Europe is facing: the geopolitical situation, water shortages and the AI revolution.
Wilo is a pioneer in sustainable and intelligent premium water solutions for global challenges – creating impact for everyone. The driving force behind our actions is Wilo's Group Strategy and its core areas of impact: Creating, Caring, Connecting. Around 9,000 employees worldwide work every day on innovations with a clear goal: improving people’s quality of life. In building services, water management, and industry, we move, treat, and control the most important resource on our planet.
We place great value on transparency for all employees, partners, and customers. Below you will find our current company figures and all key facts about the Wilo Group.
In the 2025 financial year, Wilo further advanced its sustainability activities across various fields of action. These include progress in climate protection, initiatives to promote the circular economy, measures to strengthen sustainable supply chains, and programs to develop digital competencies.
Global health management and the commitment to ensuring a safe water supply were also further expanded. International assessments and partnerships support these developments and reflect the ambition to systematically integrate sustainability into the company’s overall development.
The following contributions provide insights into key topics, projects, and perspectives from the 2025 sustainability year.
