Contact:
Ken Osypowski, Miller Brands-Milwaukee, LLC at 414-443-2137; or, Steve Heins, Orion Energy Systems, 920-892-5800
Distribution Center Will Save 4.9 million Kilowatt Hours
Wauwatosa. WI. August 31, 2005. Miller Brands-Milwaukee, LLC, distributor of Miller Brewing Company products in Milwaukee County, has received the Environmental Stewardship Award for an installation of a complete lighting system with 266 energy efficient fixtures. The total energy saving is expected to be 39 Kilowatts, which is the equivalent of providing power for 39 homes. Miller Brands will save almost 250,000 kWh per year or 4.9 million kWh saved over the sustainable life of the Orion fixtures.
Miller Brands employs approximately 165 people and operates a distribution center of more than 196,000 square feet. By installing Orion’s patented fixture using 220 watts of electricity instead of the standard high intensity discharge (HID) fixtures using 465 watts, Miller Brands expects to save $300,000 in energy over the life of the Orion fixtures.
The project was sold and managed by Mark McBride of Orion Energy Systems using products supplied by Orion Energy Systems of Plymouth, Wisconsin. Overall, Miller Brands spent 6 weeks evaluating the Orion lighting systems before choosing Orion.
“The sustainable savings of electrical consumption by Miller Brands should serve as a blueprint for other southeastern Wisconsin companies,” stated Neal Verfuerth, President of Orion Energy Systems. “By presenting Miller Brands with the Environmental Stewardship Award, Orion wanted to highlight the fact that this energy efficient lighting project was good for everyone: It was good for Miller Brand’s bottom line, good for the Milwaukee area environment, good for Wisconsin’s economic development and finally good for the distribution center’s employees because of the better quality lighting.”
The environmental impact of Miller Brands energy-efficient lighting project will decrease air pollution and environmental damage over the lifetime of Orion’s fixture, the Illuminator, by 4,760 tons of carbon dioxide, 1,298 tons of carbon, 20.7 tons of sulfur dioxide and 10 tons of nitrous oxides. This is the equivalent of saving 403,971 million gallons of gas, removing 692 cars from the road or saving 9,618 barrels of oil.
“The management at Miller Brands quickly saw the value in working with Orion to reduce unnecessary waste and enhance light levels for the facility,” stated Mark McBride, National Accounts Manager for Orion Energy Systems. “Once the field test data was in, they realized it was a no brainer to move forward with the project”
Miller Brands participated in the Focus on Energy commercial and industrial program.
“I had two important concerns about the Orion energy efficient lighting system: (1) Does the Orion system deliver the energy savings advertised; and (2) Will the Orion system preserve the workplace environment for our employees? After our tests, the answer was yes to both questions,” stated Ken Osypowski, Operations Manager of Miller Brands. “Another benefit also began to emerge, which was improved productivity. With much better color rendering provided by the full spectrum lighting from Orion’s fixture, we have seen a real improvement in order picking accuracy.”
About Miller Brands
Miller Brands-Milwaukee, LLC is a distributor of fine beers in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. With a modern warehouse facility located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, Miller Brands-Milwaukee, LLC has storage capacity for 22,000 half barrels and 500,000 cases of product. Miller Brands was originally established as an independent distributor in July 1983. Miller Brands carries Miller Brewing Company products, including Foster’s, Leinenkugel’s and Pilsner Urquell, along with other import brands such as Heineken, Warsteiner, Dos Equis and Tecate. For more information, visit the Web site at http://www.millerbrands.com/age_check.asp or call (414) 443-BEER (2337).
About Orion Energy Systems
Orion Energy Systems has been innovating in the energy and lighting business since 1996. Neal Verfuerth, President of Orion Energy Systems, received two of Wisconsin’s most prestigious awards, Ernst & Young’s 2004 Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year and WMC’s Manufacturer of the Year 2004 Grand Award Recently, Orion has Received the 2004 Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air Award given by the Wisconsin DNR. In addition, the company won the 2002 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award in the Emerging Growth category, given by the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Association, the Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award, and was chosen as a “Success Story” for the 2002 Governor’s Summit on Capital. Orion’s innovative Illuminator, an energy-efficient lighting platform for industrial applications, has been awarded a series of 12 patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Additionally, it has applied for numerous other patents relating to metering and control technologies for lighting.
Orion is an energy services company (ESCO), which manufactures and markets energy efficient lighting solutions for the school, gymnasium, manufacturing, warehousing, and commercial markets. Orion provides capacity displacement solutions for supply side management, transmission management, and demand side management for the electricity industry. For more information, please contact Stephen Heins, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Orion Energy Systems, sheins@oriones.com; 920-892-9340, ext. 226 or visit the web site at www.oriones.com.
