In such cases, the information deficits in production and demand reinforce each other. But for the technology to be adopted on a wide scale, local fabricators must have the information and skills to produce the equipment according to strict quality standards, and local technicians must have the expertise to maintain and repair the technology - a difficult combination in developing countries (Box 5.2). Until the mid-1990s, these firms used traditional, high energy-intensity technologies and operating practices.