Kamstrup in South Africa

Smart metering to Africa

After three years with successful sales through local distributors, Kamstrup is now taking a step further into the African continent with the opening of a local subsidiary in Pretoria.

The office opening is a strategic ramp up for Kamstrup in South Africa, where General Sales Manager, Hans Peter Kyk, sees a great potential for Kamstrup’s smart metering products: “Together with our local partners we already have a number of projects up and running with very impressive results. Our smart metering product portfolio covers both electricity and water and has proven its relevance in South Africa. We are therefore very confident about settling down permanently in the country.”

A positive business climate and an obvious demand for intelligent energy and water management has motivated Kamstrup to establish Kamstrup South Africa (Pty) Ltd - with office facilities in Hatfield, Pretoria, and Mr. Kyk expects that Kamstrup will employ more people in near future in South Africa.

From 1 February 2013 the new country manager will be Petrus van Heerden. And he too sees a huge need for smart metering in South Africa: “As a result of a fast growing economy the country experiences a booming energy demand, which stresses the energy production accordingly. In an attempt to bridle the demand the population must endure staggering price raises and controlled blackouts. Smart metering, on the other hand, offers as a more intelligent solution a strengthened demand side management

where a stable flow of information from the smart meters in residential areas will enable a stabilized energy supply as well as a predictable billing.”

The South African energy crisis is in no way unique for this country, and Hans Peter Kyk therefore sees South Africa as a natural springboard for doing smart metering business in other parts of Africa: “If we can solve problems here, then why shouldn’t we also offer our solutions in other countries in Sub-Sahara Africa?”