Energy Savings Important For Manufacturing Companies

By George Plattenburg
Senior VP Sales and Marketing Servidyne
Servidyne

Going green is more than just a catchphrase, but it can seem like one to most manufacturers because their primary focus is maintaining operations and production levels. However, if done correctly and with forethought, many manufacturing plants can go green by dramatically reducing their energy consumption and expenditures.

In addition to the “green” benefits of reducing energy consumption, e.g., reducing the site’s carbon footprint, the savings that result make this a good business decision. Many energy-reducing retrofits to existing equipment and systems pay for themselves inside of four years, and they provide ongoing cost savings over their useful lives. With an increased emphasis on the environment, the focus on green technology has made it easier than ever to identify and implement efficiency upgrades, beginning with no-cost improvement measures your maintenance staff can implement quickly to those requiring a long-term investment. Here are some key steps to follow:

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The author comments on the importance of looking at lighting as a source of energy savings.
Although every case will be different, there are a few common areas where facilities find cost savings and consumption efficiencies.

" In many manufacturing plants, lighting has been long since forgotten. It’s overhead and out of the way, and no one pays any attention to it unless bulbs fail and need to be replaced. Well, that old lighting system may be a gold mine for you in your efforts to improve energy efficiency and “go green.” New lighting technologies developed over the past decade can dramatically reduce your costs while simultaneously improving lighting levels and improving burn-hours. And think about lighting controls, too — these can typically reduce lighting usage by 30 to 60 percent based on occupancy. In other cases, antiquated lighting systems can and should be replaced. In addition to cost savings, lighting-efficiency improvements can qualify your company for government tax deductions or utility rebates.

Case in point: One of the world’s largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries recently retrofitted the lighting system in its transportation distribution center located in California. The lighting system in this 28,000-square-foot facility had not been significantly improved since construction of the building in 1971. Lights in the office areas were inefficient fixtures containing T12 lamps and magnetic ballasts. The age of these fixtures meant light levels were severely diminished. Additionally, metal halide high-bay fixtures in high-ceiling industrial areas produced inadequate light levels, while consuming large amounts of power. Lighting experts engineered a lighting system for this facility with three goals in mind: to increase light levels throughout the building, to save energy by reducing wattage and operating hours, and to remove toxic PCB ballasts in old fixtures.

"Change does not have to be intimidating. As stated, something as simple as a two-week lighting retrofit can add up to big savings — all without having to worry about downtime. "

Sponsor: RedBird LED, an Atlanta based designer and manufacturer of LED Tube Lights has announced new LED Tube lights that work extremely well in industrial and warehouse real estate facilities. These LED lights reduce energy costs and maintenance time and costs. For more information please visit their website www.commercialledretrofits.com