The two New Hampshire pilots, BAE Systems and Highliner Foods, gave presentations at a New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) conference recently. The NH MEP thanked the EPA for sponsoring these pilots. Both presenters were enthusiastic about integrating energy into their existing Lean programs. Both recommended to the audience that if facilities have not started Lean, they should incorporate energy from the beginning. Presentations included pictures of their value stream maps indicating energy opportunities. Both facilities stressed the importance of benchmarking at the process and equipment level.
BAE Systems
Saved $40k/yr with "low hanging fruit" opportunities that yielded immediate ROI. Opportunities included understanding their electric bills so they could peak shave, delamp, fix air leaks, downsize motors, turn off equipment. BAE found a 12% decrease in their energy bill, even though production was up 7%. BAE plans to incorporate energy into lean programs in all 50 facilities nationwide.
Highliner Foods
Saved $200k/yr on one process line which represents 5% of their sales. Opportunities included eliminating redundant steps, process controls for heating and mixing, flash freezing product instead of freezing slowly for 10 days, recycling hot water, capturing and reusing process heat. Highliner estimates they can save over $500k/yr if they expand this pilot to their entire plant, and plan to take it to their Danvers, MA plant as well. Highliner stressed ‘Energy Treasure Hunts’ by employees, a concept from the Lean & Energy Toolkit.
Other Outcomes
Paul Lockwood of NH DES’s Pollution Prevention Program was involved in both NH pilots and is continuing to work with NH MEP, starting a lean & energy project at Hendrix Cable & Wire next week. Paul and his experience working with the MEP will be featured on a webinar for New England Pollution Prevention Assistance Providers sponsored by NEWMOA. Paul identified many ‘Green’ opportunities at both plants, and is working with Highliner to recycle plastics they were disposing of.
Both BAE and Highliner Foods intend to expand their projects to include transportation opportunities.
A representative from the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning (NH Energy Office) was at the conference, and plans to work with the MEP to expand the scope of MEP projects to include building envelope and combined heat & power opportunities at manufacturing plants.
A final report on all six pilots is due by the end of the month.
For more information, contact Linda Darveau, e-mail: [email protected]
