Innovation enabled Elster to increase production and sales, reduce carbon foot print and save UK jobs
The need
Elster, a global water meter manufacturer, set out to shift its business strategy and become more environmentally sustainable.
The solution
Prof Tarverdi’s research in polymer processing has allowed Elster to stop brass-based water meter production and replace it with the production of polymer-based water meters.
The outcome
- The new compounds in the water meters have not only enhanced their performance but made their production quicker, cheaper and more environmentally sustainable
- The polymer-based water meters are known to return nearly twice the margin than the brass-based ones while reducing their weight by 85%
- Carbon footprint from production to consumer reduced by 13million kilograms of CO2
- Increased production generated an income of over £56m
- A production facility and a research and development centre in the UK (in Luton), helping to secure UK jobs, employment and exports
Elster have continued to invest in their UK Research and Development Centre, where they work with Prof Tarverdi and the production facility continues to produce all polymer-based water meters, selling to over 130 countries.
Building on their continued success, in 2017 for instance, Elster successfully agreed with Vitens, the largest water supplier in the Netherlands to supply 600,000 V200P volumetric water meters.
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Case study last modified 08/07/2024