IDE to build desalination plant in Asia

JERUSALEM, May 20 (Reuters) - Israel Desalination Enterprises Technologies (IDE) won a tender to build three desalination plants in Asia worth of a total of about $80 million, IDE said on Tuesday.

IDE, jointly owned by Israel Chemicals (ICL.TA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and the Delek Group (DELKG.TA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), did not say where in Asia the plants will be built, but the statement said the projects should be completed by the end of 2009.

Each plant will be able to desalinise up to 24,000 cubic metres of water a day, IDE said.

Avshalom Felber, president and chief executive of IDE, said the project was meant to "widen the company internationally and strengthen IDE's status as a world leader in desalination."

In the past year, IDE has won tenders to build desalination plants in China and Australia. (Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Rory Channing)