For further information contact:
Steve Heins,
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Orion Energy Services Ltd.
(920) 892-9340
sheins@oriones.com
Former UW-Madison Professor Gunnar Joseffson to Study Lighting’s Effect on Physiology and Farm Finances
April 14, 2005. Plymouth, WI. — In a move aimed at strengthening an already-strong presence in agricultural lighting technology, Orion Energy Services has named Gunnar Joseffson to the newly-created post of Research and Development Specialist.
Before joining Orion, Joseffson had been employed for ten years as a Dairy Science Researcher at UW-Madison in the field of biological systems engineering.
“We were trying to help not just farms but rural businesses as well — studying what technologies they were using and trying to find better ways of using it – so technology so a farm can be not only more profitable but also a nicer place to work – safer, healthier, ergonomically attractive.”
“We had so many studies going that it was impossible to really take them to the furthest. I always realized that we were touching on opportunities that could really benefit the farming community a lot more — if only we had had the time and if only we could have concentrated our efforts.”
“With Orion, by narrowing my field, I’m able to do this. That’s what’s really fun.”
Joseffson elaborated on one field of research he was and still is involved in – dairy barn illumination.
“Barn lighting – and what’s called long-day lighting – is one of the areas I’ll be involved in,” he said. “It is clear — and it is very good science — that circadian rhythms affect all animals in various ways and for reasons we don’t understand. In dairy farming, this knowledge hasn’t caught on in practice very much.”
“We’ve found that if you use lighting in a smart way with dairy cows, the cows actually
pay back by giving more milk. If you install good lighting and then manage the lights well, the lights don’t cost you anything — in fact, they earn money.”
“Farmers need to hear about this system. Part of what I’ll be doing is helping train Orion’s distributors.
“But besides farms, we will be looking into other rural businesses. Farmers buy a lot of stuff and there are a lot of businesses that cater to those needs — feed, fertilizer, machinery, implements, lots of them. Likewise farmers sell their milk and meat and product – and most of their buyers are also located out in the rural areas. We’ll be looking at ways to help there, too — and we can also take the message about Orion’s energy efficiency.”
Born in a Swedish village near the Arctic Circle, Joseffson obtained a degree in animal and dairy sciences from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences before coming to the University of Wisconsin, where he obtained a graduate degree. He will oversee Orion’s agricultural research from a location in Madison as well as associated rural sites.
““We’re glad to have a seasoned researcher of Gunnar Joseffson’s caliber join our staff,” said Orion president Neal Verfuerth. “We’re committed to the idea that the best way to implement a robust approach to energy efficiency is to make it financially attractive while demonstrating how important the full spectrum lighting Orion uses is to farm animal physiology and herd management.”
“And now that Orion has started developing a national profile, we want to make sure that all our capabilities keep pace with our expected growth. We expect that Gunnar Joseffson’s talents will play a major role in this – and help Orion become a major player in the energy efficiency revolution now going on in the United States.”
About Orion
Orion Energy Services has been innovating in the energy and lighting business since 1996. A designer and manufacturer of 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.
Orion Energy Services (www.oriones.com) helped its business customers save over $16 million over the last year. The company was chosen as a “Success Story” for the 2002 Governor’s Summit on Capital and recently received the Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award. Its CEO and founder, Neal Verfuerth was named Wisconsin Entrepreneur of the Year in 2004 in the prestigious Ernst & Young program. Verfuerth also received the 2005 ‘Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award for Excellence,’ from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and was named a 2005 Bravo! Entrepreneur Award winner by Small Business Times.
