Secure has been very successful at introducing and providing smart meters in Australia. In part, this is because we have been agile in our approach to customer demands, the local industry requirements and the business environment. We have been flexible to these influences and adaptable in our manner to deliver, meet and exceed stakeholder requirements. Our “can do” attitude has enabled us to build up a reputation for meeting and exceeding customer requirements. This reputation has arisen because of our ability to revise designs, our flexible manufacture capability, our delivery capability, project management, technical support and contract management.
To date, we have supplied more than 600,000 AMI meters in Victoria, supplying four out of the five electricity distribution businesses. Unlike other meter manufacturers, from the very beginning of our company, Secure has only ever manufactured electronic meters. We are also involved in supporting and participating in AMI trials across the whole of Australia and New Zealand.
For the Australian smart metering roll-out, our long experience with electronic metering leant us a strong competitive advantage over traditional meter vendors, all of whom had to make the switch from electro-mechanical meters and to design their AMI meters from scratch. Secure however was able to offer smart meters that met the high AMI requirements based on their existing electronic meter models and CALMU technology. Not only did this mean that our meters were robust and equipped with electronic technology already proven to be reliable in the field, but it also meant that our customers (the utilities) could start their AMI rollout programs on time. A timely start to smart meter deployment was extremely important for us; by thinking ahead and understanding the needs of our Victorian customers we were able to meet the challenging installation targets set by the state government. This advanced technology position resulted in us becoming the Australian market leader for smart meters.
We produce a complete range of AMI electricity meters (including direct connect, 1 phase and 3 phase meters, as well as CT/VT meters) that have provided our customers flexibility. Communication technologies that can be supported by our meters include mesh-network and point-to-point architectures. Our meters support future technology for the use of electricity in the home with the use of in-home displays (IHDs). These communicate with meters via the Zigbee protocols, which again allows us the flexibility to compete in a number of markets and be ready for future industry developments.
Secure Australasia’s meters are manufactured in Udaipur, India. The meters are tested at various stages of manufacture and conform to all relevant Australian Standards. “In country testing,” using relevant batch testing standards is undertaken at our Australasia’s NATA Certified Test Lab prior to onward delivery to our Australian customers. All inventory and meter information is recorded in our Australasia’s asset management system. Secure is certified by quality assurance standards and is committed to continuous improvement. Our quality and traceability were a crucial part of our customer’s initial acceptance and remain important for ongoing business operations.
Another key to Secure’s technology success is the ability of the organisation to partner with its customers and work together to derive the best solution. Our AMI customers are very satisfied with the company’s performance and excellent customer service. They recognise Secure as a true partner that will always try to meet their requirements, even at short notice.
-Mark Lavery