Best Water Technology (BWT), the Austrian water company, plans to expand into the US through joint ventures, partnerships or acquisitions, according to Andreas Weissenbacher, the group's chief executive.

Earlier this week BWT said it was set to tender an offer for Christ AG, the Swiss water group that it already has a 51% stake in. Weissenbacher said that his first priority would be to bed down the Christ acquisition, but that he would later be looking to expand in the US. He said he hoped to begin the US expansion by the end of next year. BWT already has operations in Asia.