26 Jan 2008

Southern Water signs contract with Siemens

United Kingdom, 2007-Apr-17

Southern Water has signed a leading global company with a wide experience of metering to read water meters in the southern counties of England.

In a three-year contract worth £5 million, Siemens - which has a UK turnover of £3.5 billion and 20,000 employees - will read water meters in Southern Water’s area of Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Semens Energy Services is the UK’s leading independent provider of utility metering services and provides services to a range of public and private organisations and more than 10 million homes.

By joining Siemens’ portfolio of clients, Southern Water will be able to take advantage of economies which can be passed back to customers.

Jon Crooke, Southern Water’s operations manager, said: “Siemens has demonstrated that it delivers the high standards we demand for our customers. We have major improvements to deliver and using industry leaders such as Siemens will enable us to do so more efficiently.

“As a regulated business we have a duty to deliver improvements and efficiencies and using external providers in this way is enabling us to do that. It is enhancing the company’s overall performance and allowing us to focus on providing a better deal for our four million customers.”

More than 350,000 homes and businesses in the Southern Water region have water meters which will now be read by Siemens staff. About 40 Southern Water meter readers will continue their existing roles but will transfer to Siemens. Their terms and conditions of employment are protected by TUPE regulations.

Siemens meter readers all carry an identity card bearing their name, employee number and a recent colour photograph. Identity cards, uniforms and vans all carry the Siemens logo and uniforms also carry the words ‘Siemens working in partnership with Southern Water’. On identity cards the number of Siemens Energy Services' main office (0800 0152221) is printed for householders to check whether the meter reader is genuine.

Meters will continue to be read every six months and customers will continue to receive bills directly from Southern Water.

About Siemens in the UK:

Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 164 years ago. The company employs 20,314 people in the UK, including about 6,500 in the manufacturing sector. Last year’s revenues were £3.5 billion, including exports of £580 million, and it spent almost £75 million on research and development. As a leading global engineering company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, including the shortage of natural resources, increasing environmental care, and a growing demand for healthcare, mobility and security. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Bracknell, Berkshire. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk

Notes to editors

Mr. Nicola Prior
PR Consultant

Contact for further information:

Siemens Energy Services

Tel: +44 (0)113 266 1526

Mobile +44 (0)7785 560250


About Siemens