USC Expands into Powerline Maintenance

3 August 1999

Leading utilities services supplier, Utility Services Corporation (USC) has extended its range of services to the deregulated electricity supply industry with the purchase of National Powerline Industries Pty LTD (NPI).

The purchase follows USC’s recent acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in meter reading and meter management services company Skilltech Consulting Services Pty Ltd.

USC Chairman, Geoff Lord, said the cash and scrip deal for NPI was a significant step in USC’s plans to provide a comprehensive range of services to utilities markets in Australia and overseas.

''Utility Services Corporation is now able to supply services in information technology, telecommunications, industrial design, recruitment, meter reading and power distribution maintenance''.

''The market for meter installations, customer connections and specialised construction and maintenance services for the electrical distribution networks in Australia is over $1.5 billion a year,'' he said.

National Powerline Industries currently has revenue of around $4 million, with significant potential to grow as electricity distributors gradually start to use specialist service organisations to complement in-house resources to be more responsive in the increasingly competitive distribution maintenance market.

NPI was formed in Melbourne in 1994 by three former employees of Eastern Energy to contract for outsourced electricity distribution services, including metering and service, customer fault rectification, powerline construction and maintenance. NPI clients include Eastern Energy, United Energy and Citipower in Victoria, Energex in Queensland, Optus Communications Pty LTD, and private clients.

The company has specialised skills and technology to work on live electricity distribution networks to minimise disruption to customers. It also provides emergency response crews on a 24-hour, 365-days-a-year basis.

NPI founder and managing director, Cameron Davidson, said USC had the backing and resources to allow NPI to exploit its potential to capture expanding markets within the newly deregulated industry throughout Australia.

The existing management of Cameron Davidson, Jeff Blackman and Dean Mills will continue to be responsible for the management and leadership of the business and the delivery of services to its clients. (3 August 1999 )

For further information contact:
Mr Trevor Gray
The ILID Partnership
4 Gipps Street, Collingwood, 3066
Melbourne Australia
Tel: +61-3-94184052
Fax: +61-3-94174082
E-Mail: info@ilid.com.au
www.ilid.com.au
Mr Geoff Lord
Executive Chairman
Utility Services Corporation
GPO Box 4386, Melbourne 3001
Tel: +61-3-99413100
Fax: +61-3-96961553
E-Mail: glord@belgravia.com.au
www.utilityServices.com.au