Itron about to become a giant. $1.6 billion Actaris acquisition to add 6,000 employees, nearly 30 factories worldwide

Three and a half years ago, Itron Inc. http://www.itron.com proved that it wasn’t afraid to take big bites when it agreed to spend $255 million to buy Schlumberger Electricity Metering, a leader in the North American electric meter market.

Now, in a move that makes that acquisition look like an appetizer, the Liberty Lake-based maker of utility-meter reading technologies says it’s sinking its teeth into a $1.6 billion deal that will make it a world leader in utility meters and meter-reading equipment.

By Emily Brandler

Full Story: http://www.spokanejournal.com/spokane_id=article&sub=3091