Sepura wins two major contracts in the Netherlands

In a nationwide contract success, Sepura has been named one of three approved suppliers to the Dutch police and certain fire, ambulance and customs services by vtsPN, the Police's information communication technology organisation, following an open European Tender Process

This national framework contract has been awarded by vtsPN to enable Dutch users to replace existing radios that are nearing the end of their operational life. Up to 80,000 radios will be replaced over a three-year period on C2000, the Dutch national emergency services network.

Sepura is the only radio manufacturer that has contracted directly with vtsPN.

In a separate sales win, Zuid Limburg regional ambulance service (also a user of the C2000 network) has replaced its existing equipment with Sepura TETRA radios.

Richard Redgrave, Regional Sales Director for Sepura, who led the bids to win both contracts, said: "These successes are significant milestones for us in the Netherlands. The Dutch market is very important to us over the coming years as we play a lead role in the replacement of the entire C2000 user base. We are excited to be working directly with vtsPN and its various end-user organisations, and have been hugely impressed with vtsPN's organisation and the role it will play in managing this project.

"vtsPN's objective was to build a short, high-quality supply chain, adopting a partnership approach with its selected suppliers. We are very pleased that vtsPN and its C2000 end users consider Sepura's products and services capabilities to be such a close match to its requirements."

In the separate sales win at Zuid Limburg, the ambulance service decided to move to Sepura after their original TETRA radios had reached the end of their serviceable life. This was five years after it was the first ambulance service, along with Amsterdam, to use the Dutch public safety radio network.

A detailed evaluation trial reported high satisfaction with Sepura radios, and users were impressed with their reliable and consistent performance. They also liked the fact that the User Interface was the same on the hand-held and vehicle-based radios, which makes it easier to transfer from using one to the other.

Sepura will also supply Radio Manager, the innovative fleet management solution that saves substantial ongoing support costs. An extended warranty on the radios, which includes repairs and software upgrades, provides the lowest cost of ownership over a projected five-year equipment life cycle.

This contract emphasises Sepura's popularity among ambulance services, with a 50 per cent share of the market in the Netherlands and sole supplier to all the UK ambulance trusts.