A NEWPORT-based pioneer in the development of powerline communications technology has returned from the world's largest technology fair with a healthy order book and a new group of distribution partners in Western and Eastern Europe.

LANergy said its new distribution partners include RFL Communications and Source Online from the UK.

On their return from the CeBIT fair in Han-over, Germany, LAN-ergy's executive vice- president and co-founder, Andrew Wooding, (pictured) said he was delighted with the level of demand from the company's first public exhibition of its Appian Pro and Cassian Lite powerline communication products.

He said: "From the very first hour of CeBIT, we were amazed at the level of interest that our exhibit created. As a result, we are in advanced negotiations with a North American equipment manufacturer that wishes to integrate our products within its system.

"We have also won export orders to North America and Brazil, and received strong interest from other South American countries."

Mr Wooding also said that the first 100 units of LANergy's revolutionary new communication system is being shipped to North America this month and that in order to meet the demand for its technology, the company will have to double in size before then end of the year.

He said: "To feed this growth, the company is nearing closure of a second round of venture capital funding that sees substantial further investment from its existing investors, including Wales Innovation Fund, Wales Fund Managers, Wesley Clover and a group of private investors including John Moulton from Alchemy Partners."

Brian Lasslett, president and chief executive officer, said: "LANergy is the success story in South Wales and will bring a considerable number of new jobs and export revenue to the region in the future. The drive to broadband deployment will fuel our growth and during this critical period we want to see public sector support to match the level of private investment that we have succeeded in attracting."