Latest data from IMS Research continues to show sequential quarterly decline for the electricity meter market. Both conventional electricity and advanced electricity meters in EMEA and the Americas continued to decline during the first quarter of 2009.

Although 2008 proved to be a strong year overall for the electricity metering market, the fourth quarter commenced a period of contraction. Continuing into 2009, it appears the bleak economic picture is now affecting shipments of advanced meters. IMS Research estimates that in EMEA and the Americas, advanced meter shipments contracted by over 15% from the same period in 2008, and sequentially contracted roughly 10% from the fourth quarter of 2008. Senior research analyst Michael Markides remarked “Even though the economy was shaky during most of 2008, the market for advanced meters continued along relatively unaffected, particularly in North America; however, it was only a matter of time before shipments of advanced electricity meters began to be affected by the depressed economic environment.”

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