Elster Group Launches Worldwide Energy Saving Solution

Elster Group Launches Worldwide Energy Saving Solution

October 23, 2006

    LUXEMBOURG, Oct. 23 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Elster
Group, the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of
metering and utilization solutions to the gas, electricity
and water industries, has today launched a smart metering
solution that will help address the issues of climate
change and energy costs.

    A new business unit, Elster Integrated Solutions (EIS)
based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, will drive global
programs to help utilities worldwide adopt the very latest
smart metering systems. Automated Meter Reading (AMR) and
Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) are designed
specifically for gas, electricity and water utility
customers. These smart meters can help with some of the
most pressing current environmental issues.

    "As a world leader in metering Elster delivers
advanced metering solutions to gas, electricity and water
utilities that enable meters to be read remotely over smart
wireless and fixed networks," said Elster Group CEO,
Thomas Ganswindt. "These meters enable providers to
check on an end-user's usage more frequently, in turn
facilitating more frequent tariff changes including
demand-responsive tariffs which enable prices to follow
demand. Smart meters can send warnings to the consumer to
turn on or turn off appliances. The end result is energy
and resource savings. Highly accurate and fair billing will
show the real use of energy and scarce resources by
consumers."

    Research (see Berg Insight M2M Research Series 2006)
shows that shortening the link between consumption and
billing makes residential and industrial consumers more
price-responsive and therefore more economical with their
energy usage. The Berg Insight research also shows that
there is a huge market for this type of technology. Some
European countries are already using smart meters,
especially in Italy and in some Scandinavian countries.

    "Metering is a fundamental business enabler for
utility companies. In Europe alone there are approximately
244 million electricity meters and 101 million gas
meters," continues Ganswindt. "The liberalization
of energy markets requires that the utility meters of
tomorrow be connected to data communication networks.
Elster's investment in technology and people will help
reduce operating costs, drive additional revenue streams
for our customers and further improve the quality of energy
usage for consumers. When installed, Elster smart meters
will also help improve our environment."

    President of Elster Integrated Solutions is industry
veteran Sharon Allan. Allan joined Elster in 1997 from IBM
and most recently was chief knowledge officer of Elster
Electricity. In 2002, she was named one of the `50 Key
Women in Energy' for her global leadership in the area of
innovation and creativity within the industry.

    "We deliver and integrate metering automation
solutions for our customers so that they can better manage
their business in the area of gas, electricity, and water
usage as well as facilitate new end-customer
programs," said Allan. "Whether it is AMR or AMI,
we enable business and customer management from the metering
information. Core to our solution is the use of intelligent
mobile and fixed network communications."

    With a turnover in 2005 of over Euro 1.3 billion, the
Elster Group is the largest metering company in the world.
A trailblazer in terms of quality and innovation, the Group
continues to invest in the latest metering and
communications technology.

    Mark Munday, president and CEO of Elster Electricity,
has been appointed executive vice president of the combined
Elster electricity and water businesses in North America.
Mark has over 26 years of experience in the industry, and
for the last 6 years has headed the Elster Electricity
business unit in Raleigh.

    "The launch of Elster Integrated Solutions will
help drive our North American business forward, providing
our customers with the information they need to shape
strategic decisions about efficient energy use," said
Munday. "Our expertise and heritage in the metering
market are combined in the EIS business to accelerate the
delivery of actionable intelligence to the 62,000 utilities
that we work with across the region."

    Thomas Ganswindt concludes, "As well as the clear
opportunity that Elster Integrated Solutions delivers in
North America, it is a strategic first step for our global
offering."

    About Elster Group

    Elster Group (formerly Ruhrgas Industries), is the
world's leading manufacturer and supplier of highly
accurate, high quality, integrated metering and utilization
solutions to the gas, electricity and water industries. In
addition, through its subsidiary Ipsen International, it is
the leading global manufacturer of high level
thermo-chemical treatment equipment.

    The group has over 9,000 staff and operations in 37
countries, focused in North and South America, Europe and
Asia. Elster's high quality products and systems reflect
the wealth of knowledge and experience gained from over 170
years of dedication measuring precious resources and energy.
The Elster Group is headquartered in Luxembourg.

    For more information, please contact:

     Nick Chaloner, 
     Elster Group
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Elster Group