Landis+Gyr (Pty) Ltd is the South African operation of the worldwide Landis+Gyr group which has offices on all major continents. A name synonymous with metering for more than a century, Landis+Gyr offers a complete range of metering solutions, from credit and prepayment metering to meter test equipment. 

The company’s world-leading prepayment metering solutions comprise an extensive range of meters and sophisticated vending software marketed under the brand name Cashpower. Its credit metering solutions from grid to residential applications are sold throughout Africa.

Landis+Gyr also has sole distribution rights for MTE meter test equipment, which it markets and sells in selected African countries.

Black Economic Empowerment

Landis+Gyr (Pty) Ltd is strongly committed to black economic empowerment. Wiphold, an operational Black Economic Empowerment group engaged in financial services, investment and infrastructure related activities, owns 25.1% of Landis+Gyr (Pty) Ltd.

Leading in Metering

The company’s product offerings comprising both prepayment and credit metering solutions for residential and commercial applications, as well as sophisticated test equipment, places it in a unique position of offering customers around the world a total metering solution.

Credit Metering
Landis+Gyr worldwide is focused on quality, reliability and innovation. For over 100 years, the company has pioneered the electricity metering industry. Its focus lies in the design, manufacturing and marketing of electricity meters covering residential, commercial, industrial and high precision metering applications in low, medium and high voltage networks. The state-of-the-art product portfolio includes electromechanical and electronic meters, thereby continuing the company’s tradition of innovation and technological excellence.

Prepayment Metering
Added to this, Landis+Gyr South Africa offers its customers – the major energy utility companies of the world – a comprehensive portfolio of prepayment electricity meters and vending solutions. The keypad-based prepayment system, pioneered by the company’s engineers in South Africa in 1990, has proven highly successful with metering systems having been installed in over 50 countries ranging from Africa to Australasia and South America to the Caribbean. This highly successful penetration of world markets led to the company receiving the President's Award for Export Achievement in the electrical and electronic category in 1998.

Cashpower has brought the advantages of advanced energy management to the electricity supply authority and at the same time, provided consumers with a remarkably simple, yet effective means of purchasing and budgeting for electricity.

Design and development of Cashpower prepayment meters and vending system software is undertaken in South Africa. Prepayment meters are manufactured to international standards.

In South Africa, the company has played a major role in extending electricity to disadvantaged communities as part of a nationwide electrification programme. Millions of Cashpower prepayment meters have been manufactured and installed to date.

The Cashpower prepayment technology has placed the company at the forefront of global developments in its field.

Meter Test Equipment
Representing international company MTE Meter Test Equipment AG, Landis+Gyr provides a comprehensive range of fixed and portable meter test systems.

Pricing and product offering

The South African market for revenue management systems is mature and purchasers rightly expect the highest levels of performance and reliability. Nowhere is this more evident than in the meter itself, which is now treated as a commodity and must offer an economical mix of performance, quality and reliability as a matter of course.
With imported material prices increasing each year, it is a constant challenge to stay competitive whilst still maintaining high standards. Landis+Gyr tackles this challenge head-on, combining new and innovative designs with highly competitive production methods.

Quality

Landis+Gyr adheres to the principle of “no compromise on quality”. The quality system implemented by Landis+Gyr has enabled the company to achieve an ISO 9001 listing. Landis+Gyr is in possession of a Certificate of Registration to SABS ISO 9001:2000. In addition, Landis+Gyr has also been granted the “Permit to Apply Certification Mark“ by SABS.

The entire life history of every meter manufactured is tracked using Powertrac – a system developed by Landis+Gyr. The main function of Powertrac is to track quality data such as calibration accuracy, Standard Transfer Specification (STS) parameters, customer details, manufacture, warranty and shipping dates. Quality reports required are automatically generated by the system. Powertrac also allows NEDISYS files to be automatically generated.

As opposed to moving across to a fully automated plant, which could provide lower costs, Landis+Gyr continues with its labour-intensive manufacturing process which enhances its policy of job creation and empowerment.

Community development and social responsibility

Community development has been a critical focus area and there have been numerous community projects aided and funded by the company.
This led to the company receiving the President’s Merit Award for Social Responsibility in 1998, awarded by South Africa’s former state president, Nelson Mandela.

Technology

As a leader in the electricity prepayment metering industry, Landis+Gyr has a team of engineers constantly working to improve the existing product range as well as developing new innovative products.
Testimony to this is the impressive list of world firsts attributed to the company:

• World’s first split meter where the customer interface unit is separate from the metering and disconnection unit;
• World’s first accepted prepayment meter using encrypted numbers;
• First system using telephone vending;
• First system using portable hand-held vending terminals;
• First two phase keypad prepayment meter;
• First three phase keypad prepayment meter;
• First keypad currency transfer metering system;
• First split prepayment meter, using Power Line Carrier (PLC) technology to communicate between the energy management unit and customer interface unit.

In 1999, the company received a silver award by the Industrial Development Corporation Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (IDC SP11) for the Cashpower BS footprint design. In 2003, it was also chosen as a finalist in the Industrial Innovation Awards by the Department of Trade & Industry for the development of a meter for the American market.

Customer support

Landis+Gyr’s dedicated customer support capability assists customers around the world 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition to providing support in the field, the company also provides training at all levels to the customer. A fully equipped repair facility ensures equipment is serviced rapidly and to high quality standards.

Commitment to customers

Landis+Gyr is proud of its track record as a stable, well established company with an intricate knowledge of metering systems and the ability to ensure successful implementation for long term success. The company is at the forefront of technological development in its field and is committed to building long-term relationships with its customers.

Landis+Gyr South Africa’s history in brief

• 1990  -  Cashpower, the world’s first keypad prepayment electricity meter is launched onto the world stage by its developer, Spescom.
• 1995 - Spescom and Siemens form a 50/50 joint venture company, Energy Measurements, dedicated to the ongoing technology evolution and global marketing of the already world-leading Cashpower product.
• 2001 - Spescom sells its 50% share to Siemens Limited, resulting in Energy Measurements becoming a wholly owned Siemens company. This led to Energy Measurements taking over full responsibility for the Landis+Gyr range of credit meters and systems as well as the MTE meter test equipment in southern Africa.
• 2002 - Siemens AG announces the sale of Siemens Metering to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), one of the world’s most successful private equity companies, with Siemens AG retaining 19% equity in the new organisation. This deal resulted in the renaming of Siemens Metering and Energy Measurements to Landis+Gyr (Pty) Ltd, South Africa.
• 2004 - Bayard Energy, the energy management and conservation division of Australia-based Bayard Capital, announces its acquisition of the world’s largest electricity meter manufacturer, Landis+Gyr. The Landis+Gyr acquisition follows Bayard’s purchase in 2003 of Ampy Email, the market-leading electricity and gas metering company based in Australia and the UK. This results in Landis+Gyr South Africa adding the Ampy Email products to its portfolio.