Spokesman Office 22 March 2009
Mekorot National Water Company has signed a cooperation agreement with BacSoft Systems Integration Ltd. through WaTech™ Entrepreneurship & Partnership Center, the collaboration and investment arm of Mekorot.
The collaboration between BacSoft and Mekorot is aimed at the development of an innovative cellular command and control system at Mekorot facilities. BacSoft has communications technology that enables the remote monitoring and control of conditions and processes by means of an advanced device and software, as well as secure wireless control and maintenance of command and control systems. The system is based on small and smart end terminals installed at control panels in the field, and which are capable of sending alerts in real time to control rooms and staff. The units are linked by cellular communications to designated servers at the company’s site, and sends alerts to control rooms and directly to users via e-mail and SMS. The system uses secure communications that complies with the strictest standards.
The BacSoft system is modular, and is therefore designated for facilities at various sites of Mekorot, such as sewage treatment plants, reservoirs, rain enhancement generators, pumping stations, and wells. In addition to the ability to send messages to control rooms, e-mails, and users’ mobile telephones, the new system will be able to present all of sites –on the computerized geographical information system (GIS) – and receive remote indication and control ability. The system will also be able to store data in the event of a break in communications. The system is characterized by low power consumption and back-up servers to ensure operational reliability.
This cooperation agreement joins the more than 35 agreements that Mekorot has signed with start-up companies, academic research institutes, and cleantech technology incubators since 2005 through WaTech. R&D cooperation agreements have been signed with Atlantium Technologies Ltd., AquaPure Technologies Ltd., Blue I Technologies Ltd., Pazgas unit WaterPath Ltd., and many more.
WaTech manages the technology R&D collaboration ventures of Mekorot in Israel and overseas, and helps find innovative technology solutions through the commercialization of the extensive know-how accumulated at the company during the decades of its operations.
BacSoft has operated in the wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) remote control solutions business for many years. Two years ago, the company launched its management platform, which enables its customers to define and build themselves the remote control interfaces on their production systems. The system was designed to work anywhere in the world where there is cellular reception and serves customers at many sites worldwide. The company’s customers include leading manufacturing, infrastructure, and agricultural corporations, such as Israel Electric Corporation and Netafim Ltd. BacSoft is about to sign a number of additional cooperation agreements, such as the one signed with Mekorot, in order to distribute its advanced technology throughout the world.
For further information: Hila Izhak, Mekorot Spokeswoman, 03-6230705, beeper – 53552