👉 FOUNDING (1892)

Neptune was founded in 1892 as the Neptune Meter Company in Long Island City, New York, by a group of New York industrialists specializing in precision mechanical instruments.

🏭 EARLY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (1892–1915)

Neptune quickly became one of America’s most innovative water‑meter manufacturers.

Key early milestones;

1892 — First Trident meter produced (their flagship PD meter). A precision PD meter that became Neptune’s flagship product.

1909 — First compound meter introduced. Designed for variable‑flow commercial and industrial services.

1915 — First fire‑service meter, the PROTECTUS. The first meter engineered specifically for fire‑line protection, combining high‑flow capability with tamper resistance. These innovations established Neptune as a leader in both domestic and fire‑service metering. By 1903, Neptune claimed 165,000 Trident meters in service.

🔧 MID‑CENTURY INNOVATION (1915–1964)

Neptune expanded its engineering capabilities and introduced several industry firsts.

Major achievements;

1964 — First absolute encoder register, enabling accurate visual and remote readings.

This made Neptune the first supplier of both measurement and data‑collection products in the waterworks industry.

1968 — Introduction of the ARB® Automatic Reading and Billing System, one of the earliest AMR systems.

➤ RELOCATION TO ALABAMA (1972)

A major turning point occurred in 1972, when Neptune moved its entire headquarters, manufacturing plant, and foundry from Long Island City, NY to Tallassee, Alabama.

This made Neptune one of the first large U.S. manufacturers to relocate to Alabama for expansion.

Facilities added;

1973 — New bronze foundry added to the Tallassee site.

2009 — New 19,000 sq ft engineering & R&D center built.

🔄 MODERN ERA: AMR, AMI & RF TECHNOLOGY (1990s–Present)

Neptune evolved from a mechanical‑meter manufacturer into a full AMR/AMI systems provider.

Key modern innovations;

1998 onward — Over 10 million RF MIUs produced.

2003 — E‑Coder® launched: first solid‑state absolute encoder with 8‑digit registration.

2008 — E‑Coder R900i®: first integrated encoder + RF transmitter. 2012 — Neptune® 360™ — Cloud‑based utility data‑management platform.

2022 — Neptune celebrates 50 years in Tallassee and continues to expand its engineering and manufacturing footprint.

Neptune remains a major supplier to municipal utilities across the United States and Canada.

⚙️ NEPTUNE’S FACTORY & SITE HISTORY

1. Long Island City, New York (1892–1972)

Was the original headquarters and manufacturing plant which produced all early Trident, compound, and Protectus meters.

2. Tallassee, Alabama (1972–Present)

Current headquarters with over 54 million meters produced in the last 40 years.

Neptune remains independent as part of the Roper Corporation Inc.

⚙️ NEPTUNE’S INDUSTRY SIGNIFICANCE

Neptune is responsible for several industry firsts:

- First compound meter (1909)

- First fire‑service meter (1915)

- First absolute encoder (1964) - One of the earliest AMR systems (ARB®, 1968)

- First integrated encoder + RF transmitter (2008)