Factory saves £65,000 a year

A WARRINGTON factory has identified annual energy savings of £65,000 – thanks to free advice and support from Groundwork Cheshire.
Annually recurring savings of £23,400 and 74 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) have already been achieved at Safevent Systems, the manufacturing arm of Britplas Group.
Work is now underway to tackle the rest of the identified improvements, which could save a further £42,100 and 162 tonnes of CO2e a year.
The company specialises in the manufacture and installation of all types of commercial glazing – and with high energy and fuel costs was keep to drive down costs, reduce its environmental impact and help retain a competitive edge.
Ongoing support from a specialist adviser at Groundwork Cheshire, with funding from the North West’s ENWORKS programme got the money and energy saving programme under way.
Savings of £15,000 and 28 tonnes of CO2e a year were achieved for an outlay of just £500 on improving the efficiency of the firm’s fleet of 20 vans, each covering 30,000 miles-a-year
A further £2,900 and 14 tonnes of CO2e a year have been saved by implementing routine monitoring procedures for utilities on site and identifying key areas where consumption can be reduced.
Plastic curtains and partitions have also been fitted over four large, roller shutter doors, to prevent heat loss from the factory floor. These have generated annual savings of £2,300 on heating bills, with a payback period of just two years, and saved 13 tonnes of CO2e a year.
A 24-hour timer on the office boiler has been replaced with a more flexible, seven-day timer that allows the heating to be turned off at weekends and overnight. For just £250 this has saved over £2,000 on annual gas bills.
The next phase of the efficiency drive is to look at installing motion and light level sensors, to make sure artificial lighting is only used when necessary. This could save £3,800 and more than 19 tonnes of CO2e a year, at minimal cost.
A new radiant heating system in the warehouse could also save £8,700 and 50 tonnes of CO2e annually, and replacing a 15-year-old boiler with a more energy-efficient model would save £1,500 and eight tonnes of CO2e per year, after an initial five-year payback.
Firms with less than 250 employees and a turn over not exceeding £45m may be entitled to the same free support to discover potential efficiency savings.
Contact Groundwork Cheshire on 01606 723175 or email [email protected]