Itron Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Flagship Smart Meter Manufacturing Facility

In the early days of my career, women were often not supportive of each other in the workplace. One of my wise female colleagues pointed out that it was because there were fewer positions in the industry for women, which made for a highly competitive environment.

Thankfully those days are behind us. Today, women lift each other up and instead of competing for a seat at the table, women make room at the table. This literally happened to me earlier this week when I arrived late for a large group meeting and tried to sit discretely in the back of the room. One of the female executives at Itron saw me and shifted in her chair, encouraging others to do the same. She literally made a place for me at the table.

Itron - a global technology company that helps utilities measure, manage and analyze energy and water - on Friday celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its West Union, South Carolina manufacturing facility. The event honored and celebrated 50 years of metering innovations at the plant, which is one of the largest employers in Oconee County. The metering and software technologies manufactured at Itron's Oconee facility are helping build some of the smartest cities in the world. Annually, the Itron Oconee facility manufactures more than 1 million meters that are used by utilities across North America.

Still, more progress must be made to encourage and support women, especially in industries where there are fewer women. Particularly in the technology, engineering and energy industries, women suffer from isolation. There is a consistent trend of women graduating with STEM degrees, but not retaining careers in STEM. For example, the National Science Foundation found that only 38% of women who majored in computer science are working in the field, compared to 53% of men.

A few years ago, before my time at Itron, when I worked in the automotive industry, I co-founded a networking group called Women in Automotive Technology

(WAT) to support women in the auto industry. WAT has grown from two people to a member-led organization of almost 200 women. Our mission is to connect, educate and increase participation for women in a very male-dominated industry.

The anniversary celebration honored the plant's employees, the facility's impact on the local community, and its 50 years of innovations in metering and manufacturing. The event was attended by Itron leadership, including President and CEO LeRoy Nosbaum, President and COO of Itron Energy Philip Mezey and Oconee General Manager of Operations Mike Higgins, as well as state and community leaders, including U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and State Senator Thomas Alexander.

While organizations like WAT are important, supporting women can be integrated into daily work life. Lifting up women cannot only come from female executives and women’s professional groups. I see this every day working with women at Itron. One woman specifically is always keeping an eye open for opportunities for her female colleagues. She’s an inspiration to others in the way she tackles her own professional development, always challenging herself to do things that are new to her. She leads by example and serves as a reminder to me that growth happens when we do things that might be a bit scary or uncomfortable.

The evolution of women in the workplace doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Progress for women depends not only on support from other women, but on the men with whom we work. It’s not an “us versus them” situation, there is room for all of us. When we ALL work together to lift each other up, we create better teams and better outcomes for women, men and the organizations we serve.
"Itron's leadership in innovation is exemplified at this facility, from cutting edge technologies to the automation of the manufacturing line," said LeRoy Nosbaum, president and CEO of Itron. "We are incredibly proud of the rich history of this plant, which represents the very best of manufacturing technology. We look forward to another 50 years of innovation and empowering utilities to better manage energy."

For International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, let’s take time to lift each other up.

The West Union manufacturing plant was first opened in 1962 as meter manufacturing facility for Sangamo Electric Company. In 1975 the plant was acquired by Schlumberger, and in 2004 Itron acquired the company. Under Itron, the West Union facility began manufacturing key smart grid technologies that help utilities balance energy resources, measure and monitor use, implement renewables, and effectively and efficiently serve customers around the world. Itron's Oconee facility provides customers with the tools they need for a smarter energy future.

"While other manufacturing companies have outsourced the manufacturing process to other countries and sent jobs overseas, Itron has remained committed to keeping meter manufacturing right here in the United States," said Mike Higgins, general manager of operations for Itron Oconee. "We make meters in America for use in America. As we celebrate this 50 year milestone, we reflect on the importance of keeping manufacturing close at hand to ensure product quality and reduced time to market. We look forward to the next 50 years."