For further Information contact:
Dave Cary, Communication Specialist
Orion Energy Services
(920)892-5804
dcary@oriones.com
Dave Kriegel
Plant Supervisor
Snider Mold Co.
Mequon WI
(414) 214 8345
dave@snidermold.com
Change to Orion energy-efficient lighting lets mold and tool
firm slash electrical consumption 52%, helping environment
By taking a 60,109 kilowatt-hour (kWh) bite out of its annual electrical power consumption through a lighting retrofit, Snider Mold Co., of Mequon WI has been selected to receive Orion Energy Services’ Environmental Stewardship Award.
The 60,109 kWh reduction is the basis for the award because it represents electrical power that, due to the lighting project, now does not need to be generated at all.
According to Federal EPA formulas, the reduction means that, over the 20-year expected lifetime of the Orion fixtures involved, some 1,233 tons of carbon dioxide, 336 tons of carbon, five tons of sulfur dioxide and 11 tons of nitrogen oxides – all pollutant by-products of electric power generation – will not go into the atmosphere.
Stated another way, the power reduction is the equivalent, over the same 20-year span, of saving 104,289 gallons of gasoline or 2,602 barrels of fuel oil. It is the equivalent of an eleven-acre forest or removing nine cars from the road.
“This is a nice award,” said Snider plant supervisor Dave Kriegel. “We’re glad to receive it.”
“Snider’s savings are real and permanent,” said Neal Verfuerth, president of Orion Energy Systems, who supplied the new T8 fluorescent lighting system. ““It’s not that easy to slice any electrical load 56% in one gulp. This sustainable savings could serve as a blueprint for other companies, and I think it’s especially important for smaller businesses who are actually players in the global energy marketplace.”
According to US government data, the business sector of the economy uses 70% of the power generated in the country — and about one-third of that goes for lighting.
“By presenting Snider with our Environmental Stewardship Award,” Verfuerth said, “Orion wants to highlight the fact that this energy efficient lighting project was good for everyone — good for the business’ bottom line, good for employee relations good for the environment, good for our energy future.”
In the project, Snider replaced 41 465-watt metal halide and 80 older fluorescent fixtures with 106 Orion Illuminator ™ fixtures while refitting 14 of the older fluorescent housings with new fluorescent technology. As a result, the power Snider uses for lighting fell from 106,215 kWh per year to 46,106 – a drop of 60,109, or 56%, and this, of course, was reflected in their electric bill.
“With the metal halides we had, we had to change the bulbs frequently because we lost so much luminance. That was a big factor, too,” said Kriegel. Typical metal halide lighting loses a quarter to a third of its lighting ability within six months to a year and also tends to change color as it ages. Kregel said that employees had liked the change. “Not so much at first, — it was different — but everybody’s happy with it now. It’s a definite improvement.”
Snider Mold Company has been serving the plastics molding industry worldwide for over 40 years, Snider Mold Company combines leading edge technology with the skills of the highest trained craftsman and engineers to build quality medium to large size compression, injection, structural foam and RIM molds, single tools or complete tooling packages. Snider’ reputation for quality, innovation and productivity is known worldwide. Located in Mequon, Wisconsin, Snider’s state- of-the-art plant features a unique engineering center and automated machinery which enable it to meet needs of the twenty-first century today. Visit Snider’s website at http://www.snidermold.com/
Located in Plymouth, WI, Orion Energy Systems has been innovating in the energy and lighting business since 1996. Orion’s innovative Illuminator ® fixture, an energy-efficient lighting platform for industrial applications, has been awarded a series of 14 patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Additionally, Orion has applied for numerous other patents related to metering and control technologies for lighting.
Neal Verfuerth, Orion President, received one of Wisconsin’s most prestigious awards, the Ernst & Young 2004 Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year.
Orion provides capacity displacement solutions for supply side management, transmission management, and demand side management for the electricity industry. Visit the Orion website at http://www.oriones.com/.
