KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): VSD Automation Sdn Bhd, an energy and telecommunications solutions provider, has inked an agreement with Kota Kinabalu-based Yunus Property Consultant Sdn Bhd to supply smart meters for the Sabah state government’s LED advertising screen project. 

The project is part of the state Telecommunication Smart Poles Future Technology initiative, parked under the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya development plan, and being orchestrated by Yayasan Bumiputra Sabah Tenaga Sdn Bhd.

The signing ceremony last week was witnessed by Sabah chief minister Datuk Hajiji Noor and other state level dignitaries.

VSD Automation will be supplying and installing smart meters for up to 4,000 digital advertising screens and 24 giant digital billboards in Kota Kinabalu and major towns throughout the state.

The smart meters provide real time electricity usage information and better manage demand. 

“This is our first foray into Sabah, but we are hopeful to ink more projects in the state and in East Malaysia. We believe that this project will start the ball rolling, and act as a catalyst for future digitalisation and smart meter usage throughout the nation,” said VSD Automation founder and chief executive officer Ganasan Arumugam.

While this is VSD Automation’s maiden venture in Sabah, the company which is the largest smart meter supplier in Southeast Asia has been operating in the smart meter business segment for 15 years and has supplied nearly a million smart meters to utility giant Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s Smart Meter Project which commenced in 2017.

VSD Automation’s clients include Petroliam Nasional Bhd, rail transport operator Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, Sarawak Energy Bhd, water treatment and distributor Air Selangor Sdn Bhd, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd, ABB, Schneider Electric, Indkom Engineering Sdn Bhd and PSI Incontrol Sdn Bhd, to name a few.   

VSD Automation last month inked a partnership agreement with Liikennevirta Oy, better known as Virta Ltd, to collaborate on the development and commercialisation of the Finnish group’s offerings in Malaysia. Virta provides smart charging platforms for electric vehicles. 

VSD Automation is equally owned by Ganasan and his partner Syed Yusof Syed Mohd, and registered after tax profits of RM18.14 million on the back of RM168.76 million in revenue for its financial year ended December 2020. 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, VSD Automation was slated for a listing via an initial public offering on the ACE Market of the Bursa Malaysia; however, given the uncertain market conditions, its floatation plans were put on hold.