2020 Feb/Mar

Embrace the Future at drupa

March 10, 2020

by Dianna Brodine, managing editor, PostPress

drupa has been postponed to 2021. Click here to
learn more about the reasons behind the move.

drupa 2020, the global trade fair for print, will take place June 16-26 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Once again occupying the entire Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, halls will be carefully structured to address product groups that include Prepress / Print, Premedia / Multichannel, Post press / Converting / Packaging, Future Technologies, Materials, and Equipment / Services / Infrastructure.

drupa’s size is its advantage, with 1,800 exhibitors from more than 50 countries ensuring that visitors can find exactly what they need and make comparisons among technology and consumables providers. A survey of just a few categories related to PostPress readers finds the following:

73 exhibitors in the films / foils category
32 exhibitors related to adhesives / glues
358 exhibitors in the bookbinding machines / print finishing machines category
- 26 foil stamping machine exhibitors
- 52 diecutting machine exhibitors
- 26 perfect binding machine exhibitors
- 15 three-knife trimmer exhibitors

Many of these exhibitors will be launching new equipment and solutions for the print industry, addressing sustainability, interconnectivity and consumer trends. Sabine Geldermann, director of drupa and global head of Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, said, “drupa stands for cutting-edge technologies and solutions that reach target groups in a wide range of markets. It has become very apparent in recent years that the appeal of print products is growing as the technology steadily advances. Print is conquering new dimensions with haptic elements, innovative materials and finishing techniques that engage the senses in previously unknown ways for an entirely new experience.”

With the rapid pace of change and technology adoption, drupa provides insight what’s next in the industry. In an article for the drupa 2020 article series, Isidore Leiser, CEO of European label converter Stratus Packaging, said, “Yes, it’s true that drupa is huge and I did get lost there more than once … but to attend the biggest print show in the world gives me an overview of the complete printing market, the latest innovations and the trends that we can expect in future years. The different printing sectors within the industry are related and some trends that occur now in one category will also evolve in another.”

drupa is more than a trade fair with acres of exhibitor space. To provide participants with the best possible visitor experience, drupa invests in top-class knowledge transfer through its five special forums where world-renowned speakers cover a range of topics – from keynote presentations and business evolution topics to print futures, brand stories and an executive think tank. “We want delegates to learn things that can be applied to their businesses upon their return from drupa to help deliver sales success, business transformation and improved competitive advantage both for their businesses and ultimately their customers,” Geldermann said.

PostPress readers can receive discounted tickets through the online ticketshop at www.drupa.com/ticketshop by using the following codes:

1-day ticket discount code: 000009g5w2zi
3-day ticket discount code: 000009g5w8zi
5-day ticket discount code: 000009g5w6zi

The Evolution and Evaluation of Dynamic Stripping

March 10, 2020

by James D. Banister, BS, MBA, AMPM, LSS BB, Bobst North America Inc.

The problem operators face today is the process of effectively removing the internal or external (trim) waste material from the diecut sheet at high speeds. Data validates that the stripping section is a critical reason why machines stop (see Diagram 1). Sheets break apart – leaving cartons, trim waste or scrap pieces lying on or sliding across the central stripping board, tripping off the machine photocells that are located between the stripping and blanking sections (see Diagram 2).

The other problem is that management focuses, in my opinion, more on the cost of a finished tool, or the materials (pins, claws, etc.) than the actual money hemorrhaging from the bottom line when the machines are down, waiting while personnel are creating, adjusting, fabricating or setting lower pins to get a stripping set of tools to perform. The truth is that the operator has little or no control over how well the stripping tool is going to perform. Why?

Critical requirements outside the operator’s control:

Machine condition: This is the most important and includes gripper bars, chains, Bernoulli, etc. Proper annual maintenance and the amount of chain stretch are critical to successful stripping. The smaller the waste, the more important it is – regardless of the stripping technology.
Structural design: Waste areas in designs and layouts smaller than 4.5 to 5 mm (0.177″ to 0.197″) in width.
Layouts: Not turning flute/grain direction of layouts based on what is required to strip. Thin and small pieces should be perpendicular to the gripper edge.
Natural nicks (knife joints) and nicks not in correct locations.
CAD: Not properly placing carrier rule to help guide the blanks over large stripped areas and not placing numbers in scrap areas to print.
The lower board skiving and foam placement on the upper tool.
The lack of properly supporting the central stripping board with steel rails under the tool – for the larger format machines, especially.
Stripping or removing too much waste, thus creating an unstable sheet at high speeds.
Inferior quality pins utilized in the upper tool that are not sharp or hardened.
Non-perpendicular or skewed upper tool components manually pounded into the upper, causing the tool pins and blades to be non-perpendicular in various directions, thus creating problems in tight areas and compounded with gripper bar and chain variation.
The material: Curl, moisture or printing not centering the sheet or not planning enough side or back trims to effectively remove the trim in the stripping process.
Not utilizing quick locking technology to avoid frame-to-frame variation.

Critical stripping functions inside the operator’s control:

Validate the tool alignment during the makeready process.
Don’t tap upper tool components to avoid marks on the cartons. This usually creates more issues and weakens the tool.
Don’t add nicks to scrap areas in incorrect areas: The die should match the dynamic stripping requirements to balance and hold the scrap. Only make existing nicks slightly larger.
Properly handle the tooling during every step between the assembly, makeready and storage of the tools.

The history of stripping tools

As cutter technology and speeds advanced, so have the tooling fabrication and performance requirements. Stripping tooling is no different. The following four core historical stripping technologies represent the movement post-clamshell diecutting to the fastest diecutter running at 12,000 sheets per hour. Each of these core stripping systems has its pros and cons, but when weighed on the balance of cost and productivity, they are not equal.

Universal (see Diagram 3)

Pros

Reusable upper pins
Tools can be manually made or remade on site

Cons

Labor intensive off press and on press
Weight of the pin rack requires two people to lift, even for 3B format
Machine downtime for adjustments
Requires lower pins set-up

Conventional (see Diagram 4)

Pros

Generally sold at a lower price vs. dynamic
Tools can be fabricated on-site
Generic CAD programming offsets

Cons

Labor off press and on press
Machine downtime for adjustments
Requires lower pins labor each run
Actual cost of materials is not less than dynamic

Dynamic – made conventionally using hammer for assembly (see Diagram 5)

Pros

Generally effective and reduces most lower pins
Tools can be manually fabricated on-site
Customized CAD solutions can be manually created for upper/central components/interferences
Can adapt several components in the upper tool, such as pins, claws and wood blocks

Cons

Cost is higher than dynamic made digitally
Requires the use of a router or laser to precut the slots and holes into upper stripping board
Manual insertion of components into upper board can bend components, causing them to be non-perpendicular across the tool, resulting in considerable problems on small scrap pieces
A poor laser or router preparation can cause loose pins, blades and claws, causing production problems or failure

Dynamic hybrid – totally digital with automated assembly (see Diagram 6)

Pros

The lowest cost solution since the first universal stripping systems were introduced
Generally effective and reduces most lower pins and machine adjustments
Only system capable of creating a 3D upper tool
At a previous drupa, a digital hybrid machine was released that can place crown pins and claws into the upper tool without the need to precut the upper stripping board
Another option to the digital stripping portfolio is a pin-setting digital machine to automatically set all pins, but if claws are needed, they can be manually inserted into a precut slot
Customized CAD solution exists to create tools quickly
All of the components placed into the upper board are perpendicular to eliminate most sheet breakups at high speeds and provide the safest elimination of damage to the brand owner’s product in tight areas

Con

To eliminate the assembly labor and quality variation, the immediate con is the investment for the acquisition of this new hybrid (digital) automated pin and claw manufacturing machine.

The core requirements of dynamic stripping

To effectively remove waste at high speeds without the use of lower pins requires perfect CAD preparation and controlled nicking of the die. The following functions must be addressed when designing a functional dynamic stripping tool.

Nicking

Nick placement in the dieboard is completely dependent on the relationship between the upper component and the lower interference. This is an important requirement for stripping success, but only one CAD software today has automated the nick placement in the dieboard to control accuracy during the stripping tool programming process. When the user is placing the lower interferences and the upper tool components, a nick also can be placed simultaneously in the dieboard file, making the process more secure and providing the operator the best opportunity for success.

Unlike conventional stripping, most waste generally needs to be nicked in at least four areas to guarantee the elimination of lower pins (see Diagram 7). This is contradictory to what operators and diemakers think and have been taught, as most have always been taught to nick only the lead edge of scrap areas.

Balance

The waste must be balanced on both the upper tool components and in the resistance during the stripping expulsion process. Successful stripping without lower pins is achieved when the waste material is balanced on as many planes as possible. Tight slots force the diemaker to use a straight upper component (claw, steel rule, etc.), and this only controls the scrap on a single plane – causing the most problematic issues in stripping.

Diagram 8 demonstrates the balance of the scrap on a crown pin vs. the unstable scenario presented with a single claw or steel blade. As for the balance of the resistance, if a waste area is large enough to support four restriction plus pin combinations, the scrap piece cannot twist, and the resistance from the combination of the nicks and restrictions is balanced so the force of the upper tool can explode the waste below the restrictions embedded in the lower tool board, never to come back out the top of the board. For very small scrap slots, it is only recommended to nick very small and offset on one side of the slot from the other side. Reverse nicks on steel counters also can be helpful.

Quality of components

In our analysis, we have looked at many crown pins and other male stripping components sold worldwide and reviewed the performance and quality. We found that only one pin is truly manufactured sharp and hardened. Reviewing customers’ tooling, these quality hard pins have outlasted the life expectancy of the tooling. Substitute technology may save a few cents per pin, but they are soft steel or brass, and they do not effectively “prick and control” the scrap like the original hard sharp pins. Look how the scrap pieces are stabbed by the original pin – this is a must to have true success in dynamic stripping. By spreading those few pennies of savings over the average amount of pins utilized a stripping tool set, this difference is less than a few percent, and when the manufacturer has to add or adjust lower pins, the cost savings on soft pins can be eroded with only three to five minutes of machine downtime or pre-makeready time spent setting lower pins.

Another important factor is to understand the stress of the diecut sheet during the stripping process. When the sheet is in contact with the upper tool components, it is stressed in many directions. Extensive foam must be placed to control the sheet from breaking apart at high speeds. Digital 3D capabilities allow the stripping tool to be programmed in zones where the components are placed at different heights, so each zone contacts the sheet at different times – thus reducing the force and stress on the sheet

(see Diagram 9). The trim areas need to be removed first (level 1 in light blue) and the center of the layout should be removed last (level 3 in dark gray) (see Diagram 10). Do the dynamic stripping technology and the CAD system your organization utilizes support the 3D capabilities?

Restrictions

Restrictions have many shapes and forms. The most common and least expensive is to use the lower board wood specially cut to extend past the diecut knife and under the scrap waste on the lower board. Other stripping systems require objects to be manually inserted into the lower tool board to create the interference. These generally can work over a period of time before these inserted components wear or break and also add cost to the tools.

Offsets

The last core technological requirement of effective dynamic stripping without lower pins is the offsets programmed between the male component and the lower restriction and die knife. Another important consideration is the material being processed. The offset dimensions (x,y in Diagram 11) should change when processing certain types of materials such as flute, paper, etc. It’s even better if the CAD system can dynamically adjust these offsets based on the material selected in the job project. Without going into much detail, as each system basically uses different offsets, a good rule of thumb is 2 mm (0.079″) for both the x and y dimensions. This means the lower board restriction is 2 mm (0.079″) under the scrap and the upper interference is 2 mm (0.079″) away from the edge of the restriction. The lower board opening is approximately 1.5 mm or 3 mm (0.059″ or 0.118″) overall larger than the cut area.

The final analysis

Zone of influence

The evaluation process is based on performance and cost. Diagram 12 demonstrates the influence of a crown pin vs. a single claw. In it, sharp, pointed and hardened crown pins balance “A” (the scrap on all planes) as well as control “B” (more area). I like to call this the “zone of influence.”

“1 vs. 3” dynamic

Upon evaluation, many scrap pieces generally would need three claws or blades rotated at different angles to do the function of what one crown pin can provide to control the scrap area from the top down.

Cost

Although Bobst does not sell or manufacture stripping tooling, we have purchased many tools from many organizations worldwide for new machine performance testing. Productivity and performance always will outweigh the cost of a tool, and should, if the benefits of machine productivity (overall equipment effectiveness or OEE) are greater than the cost of the tooling or the cost of the labor to create the tool and the pin racks set up, even if the tool was a one-time run.

Conclusion

On average, with the combination of related CAD automation and proper training, the new hybrid dynamic digital stripping system (pin and claw automatically inserted) or the existing automated pin setting system utilizing certified components, are the best performing technologies as well as the lowest cost solutions on the market.

James D. Banister is the continuous improvement technical manager at Bobst North America Inc. He may be reached by email at james.banister@bobst.com. For more information, visit www.bobst.com.

Reprinted with permission from The Cutting Edge.

Perfect Binding Automates: Handling Digitally and/or Offset-Printed Jobs

March 10, 2020

by Hallie Forcinio, contributing writer, PostPress

As printers face a greater mix of digital- and offset-printed jobs, shorter run lengths and a tight labor market, perfect binders have become more automated, flexible and connected. Traditional, large-volume printers are migrating to shorter, digital run lengths, while midsize digital shops doing print-on-demand, short-run batch and medium-run book production are growing and need higher output.

“Today’s ultimate perfect binding solutions are hybrid/crossover machines that have been configured to allow near-line applications for traditionally-fed offset-type products and also can be utilized to operate inline with digital front ends,” reports Mike Wing, solutions manager, Book Technology and Digital Solutions at Mueller Martini.

Delzer-Lithograph-Co — Randy Kornuth, bindery manager at Delzer Lithograph Co. (Waukesha, Wisconsin), operates the Standard Horizon BQ-480PUR perfect binder inline with the HT-80 three-knife trimmer for fast set-ups and changeovers for variable book production
runs ranging from book-of-one to thousands.

He adds, “Today’s ‘smart factories’ are driven by ultra-efficient touchless workflows that result in near-zero makeready by providing a seamless connection throughout the entire production line.” These workflows are enabled through (1) JDF job files that can be downloaded directly to the binder, or (2) binders utilizing barcode scanners at the infeed that identify and recognize each product – and its uniqueness – as it enters the line. Both methods enable the perfect binder to set up automatically and document each product’s parameters and integrity (e.g., page count, trim size, cover-to-content matching) during production. Smart systems also produce continuous data, pushing analytics back to management and operators so they can quickly identify bottlenecks and make changes whenever and wherever necessary.

With a tight labor market that makes it difficult to hire experienced or seasonal personnel, along with rising wages, the labor-intensive workflows of traditional bindery operations are no longer profitable. “It cannot be overstated that the addition of touchless workflows is essential to an industry experiencing both a reduction in labor and in skill sets,” says Wing.

Flexible equipment is needed to make it easy to adapt as business expands and/or moves into new markets. As the number of shorter runs grows, minimizing changeover time becomes critical. “Printers want to produce more titles per shift,” reports Rick Salinas, vice president of Marketing for Duplo USA Corp. Automation makes it possible to move from a 50,000-book shift with two or three titles to more than 50,000 with 10 to 15 titles.

Bourg-BB3202 — The Bourg Book Loader, or BBL accessory, converts its singleclamp BB3002 perfect binder into a 100+ pocket, self-feeding, autonomously operating machine.

“Automation has become the great equalizer,” agrees Jim Tressler, vice president of sales at C.P. Bourg. To automate the binding process, minimize labor requirements and eliminate waste, the Bourg Book Loader, or BBL accessory, converts its single-clamp binder into a 100+ pocket, self-feeding, autonomously operating perfect binder. The operator needs only six to eight minutes to load up to 120 book blocks into the empty clamps. Once loaded, the binding process begins, and the operator works on other tasks, returning occasionally to empty the delivery and load book blocks into empty pockets. The result is higher asset utilization and return on investment.

Vareo_1x2 — Mueller Martini’s Vareo three-clamp perfect binder boosts throughput by equipping each clamp with a drive that moves independently.

Another system with automated book block infeeds, Mueller Martini’s Vareo three-clamp perfect binder, on which each clamp has its own drive that moves independently, can operate continuously or as a “stop-and-go” binder for higher net throughput.

Caliper-equipped book clamps on Duplo’s DPB-500 binder accommodate run lengths of one. When the clamp closes, the caliper automatically reads thickness and scoring wheels, side glue wheels and cover positioning guide adjust. In variable mode, each book can be different. For longer runs, there’s a set mode. But, even in set mode, the caliper does a quick check of thickness to ensure the proper number of pages is present. The system also can incorporate barcode readers to check codes on covers and book blocks to ensure the two match.

“Additionally,” Tressler says, “we have made it possible to direct-connect the binder to multiple brands of printers and presses.” When operating inline, the Bourg Book Compiler, or BBC, accommodates cover- or batch-driven workflows. In either case, the customer preprints covers with a unique barcode identifier. When placed into the cover feeder, the code is read and the required content is immediately printed and bound, completely under process control with one operator. Tressler reports, “This workflow is ideal for runs of one or many and eliminates costly work-in-process and any manual touchpoints in manufacturing. By maximizing throughput and minimizing labor and waste, the increase in profits is enormous.”

Salinas notes there are other productivity-enhancing features, including bottom-feeding cover feeders and cooling towers. Bottom feeding permits cover replenishment without stopping the machine. Rotary cooling towers give books a chance to cure so they can be trimmed without damage and without any sitting time.

Today’s perfect binders also compensate for a wider array of substrates including coated and non-paper materials. Careful attention also must be paid to adhesive selection and spine preparation to ensure the book will perform under the environmental conditions it will experience. Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) adhesives remain common, but the use of polyurethane (PUR) is rising because it seals well on coated stocks, synthetics and polyester. “PUR dries not by cooling but exposure to air,” explains Salinas. “Once it cures, it isn’t going to come apart,” he explains.

“PUR does a great job on newer stocks with both pre- and post-print coatings,” adds Bob Flinn, director of business development at Standard Finishing Systems. With the growth in digital printing and its reliance on coated stocks, he says, “PUR systems are now more affordable, user-friendly and versatile.”

For Mueller Martini, advanced, thickness-variable PUR-nozzle systems apply adhesive more precisely, reduce daily cleaning/maintenance requirements and produce minimal waste in comparison to traditional glue pot systems. Integrated “adhesive monitoring systems automatically check for proper glue application and ensure each book is the highest quality,” says Wing.

The newest perfect binders also offer enhanced safety features and energy efficiency, plus a smaller footprint. As a result, newer machines typically deliver throughput and cost advantages over legacy equipment.

The fastest units for perfect binding operate at 18,000 books per hour. However, Wing says, today’s short-run, hybrid or digital work mixes are better served by slower speeds.

Tressler pegs this sweet spot for single-clamp machines at about 600+ cycles, or 350 books, per hour.

If faster speeds are needed, Salinas suggests a single-clamp machine capable of handling up to 1,000 books per hour, or a multi-clamp system that delivers 4,000 to 6,000 books per hour.

Next steps

The demand for books is growing. “…we are printing many more books today than ever in our history,” reports Tressler. He expects the trend toward much smaller quantities per order to continue. “The advent and impact of versioned, variable print and personalization is fueling this trend in all markets including pleasure read, vanity press, expressions and greetings, and others,” he adds.

Automation will continue to expand. The skilled operators needed to run legacy equipment are retiring, and it’s difficult to hire and retain new workers. “The new equipment makes it easy to bring new operators up to speed quickly,” says Flinn.

“Operators won’t be programming machines anymore,” agrees Salinas Major print producers are moving toward workflow-driven production where post-RIP data is sent directly to finishing devices. “Machine-to-machine communication will not only improve productivity but, more importantly, eliminate mistakes,” he explains.

Meanwhile, quality is more important than ever. Flinn explains: “In the old days, runs were high-volume and boxed up. A customer only saw a few books in a run. Today, with short runs, customers look at every book.” With any deviation noticed, book-to-book consistency is a must – along with a strong binding, square spine, accurate trimming and a mark-free cover.

With the higher levels of automation and flexibility being engineered into new perfect binders, it makes sense to replace legacy equipment. Today’s perfect binders can efficiently process variable products, one after the other and be run by fewer and less experienced operators. This makes it practical, even profitable, to run batches of one with completely different covers (hard or soft), trim sizes, paper stocks and customized content.

Simple Changes in Energy Management Can Have a Big Impact

March 10, 2020

by Grainger

When you look for ways to enhance your profit margin, energy management is a logical place to begin making changes. Doing an energy audit or switching to energy-efficient lighting, two key steps in an energy management program, can have a significant impact on the bottom line.

Yes, as the operator of a large facility or multiple large facilities, you will need to make an investment – perhaps substantial – to get the ball rolling on energy management, but the data compiled by the US Department of Energy’s Energy Star clearly indicates that the savings will be real and that you will begin to realize them in fairly short order. Energy Star notes, for example, that the average commercial building wastes 30% of the energy it consumes¹.

Understanding energy management strategies can help your business benefit fiscally, but it has other advantages as well. If you’ve not explored this area before, take time to review key property and behavioral changes that can boost your business’s profits, improve productivity and increase safety.

Switching to LEDs

One of the biggest ways to reap savings comes from small sources – your lighting. The newest generation of bulbs – light-emitting diodes or LED lighting – offers more bang for your buck than traditional lighting options, such as standard filament (incandescent), halogen and fluorescent strips. LED bulbs can last far longer than other lighting choices, with a range of 20,000 to 70,000 usage hours, while the average life span of incandescent bulbs is a diminutive 1,200 hours. LEDs also outdistance another energy-saving choice, the compact florescent lights (CFLs), by four to five times the life span.

Fewer replacements means lower direct and indirect costs, as well as reduced hazard potential. When you switch to LED lighting, you’ll spend less money replacing bulbs, and you also won’t be bogged down with frequent, time-consuming production delays while new bulbs are installed.

In many cases, the replacement of ceiling bulbs requires an aerial lift or extension ladder, which can contribute to numerous safety hazards. Limiting the number of times this operation is conducted by installing longer-lasting LED lighting certainly is an indirect but vital benefit to productivity and worker safety. Plus, since LED tube lights do not require a ballast the way fluorescent tube lighting does, maintenance of the fixtures is less costly.

However, the biggest bonus is in the energy reduction. Not only do LEDs last longer, they use just a fraction of the energy (up to 80% less) of conventional lighting and throw off far less heat, which can reduce the need for cooling and air conditioning. Remember that halogen and incandescent bulbs produce light as a by-product of heat and release up to 90 percent of their energy as heat. LED bulbs, by contrast, provide light as their foremost function and release little heat. Switching to LED lighting means your organization can start seeing an almost immediate return on investment as monthly electric bills plummet.

LED lighting has additional benefits that help it outperform other choices. For property areas that necessitate prompt lighting, LED provides the security of immediate bright lighting, unlike CFLs, which require time to reach full brightness. If full brightness isn’t required, a dimmer switch can be used on LED lighting, which is not an option for some lighting products.

To add to their many cost-saving benefits, LEDs are more durable to shock, vibrations and temperature extremes than traditional lighting. The bulbs do not contain harmful mercury, which means LEDs are environmentally friendly. They spread light uniformly, come in a range of hues (from soft amber to bright white) and can be tailored to the location and user preference. These factors can increase worker productivity and property security. The low heat emitted by LEDs also makes them a safer option than traditional lighting.

You won’t drop a bundle making the upgrade. If you’ve priced LED lighting in the past, you may be pleasantly surprised to find the price has significantly dropped in recent years. Bulbs that once cost $100 each have dropped to a fraction of that, with most standard LED bulbs in the range of $3 to $8. The lower price point means business owners now can retrofit the entire property with LED at a nominal cost. (The US Department of Energy has a run-down on options, complete with cost comparisons².)

Changing behaviors

To make additional and meaningful cost reductions, look at your workforce. Profit improvements can be made by modifying behavior to be more energy efficient.

Although behavioral changes aren’t as easy as replacing light bulbs, new habits can be learned over time, especially when they are embraced as a whole organization.

Among ways to save costs and conserve energy are the following:

Perform routine maintenance on equipment, especially on HVAC systems
Install or use fans to assist HVAC systems
Reset the thermostat for weekends and after hours
Institute practices to keep vents clear and unobstructed
Inform employees which equipment can be shut off when not in use
Use laptops, as opposed to energy-hungry desktop computers
Make it a practice to turn lights off when areas are not in use, or install motion detector switches

Whenever possible, select energy-efficient windows, appliances and equipment, such as those labeled as Energy Star®-certified. These products are designated to save significant energy and meet stringent industry requirements.

For example, computer monitors that are Energy Star-certified are 25% more energy efficient than standard options. If you have an entire department using outdated monitors and computers that consume large amounts of energy, replacing them with efficient models might be an investment that pays for itself in a relatively short time.

Conduct or commission an energy survey

With your managerial and technical leaders, perform a survey of energy usage that considers areas such as industrial processes, refrigeration, HVAC and building controls. You also can commission an in-depth survey by an independent source.

Monitor business energy consumption and try to avoid high usage during peak times, as your cost may be increased during these peak hours. Talk to your local utility companies about peak and off-peak programs and pricing. It may be worthwhile to run some heavy equipment later in the evening, when electrical rates are lower.

Commitment

Change starts at the top. Create a written statement of senior management’s commitment to energy conservation and its environmental impacts. Include strategies, such as procurement of equipment and procedures, which outline how energy-saving methods will be applied.

Using tax credits, rebates

Not all improvements need to be out-of-pocket costs, either. Businesses may find credits, grants or reimbursement options to help fund energy-efficient lighting, equipment or HVAC changes through various programs. Federal tax credits have been available previously for property owners making energy-efficient upgrades. Local utility rebates or state program options may be in place. Check the Federal Energy Incentive Program³ for a list of funding opportunities available in each state.

Remember, embracing energy efficiency in your organization need not be a dramatic or costly investment. Even small steps, such as swapping out light bulbs, will make a difference that you’ll see reflected in your bottom line. And, as energy management practices are incorporated as a company goal with the support of corporate leaders, the benefits will only increase.

References

The information contained in this article is intended for general information purposes only and is based on information available as of the initial date of publication. No representation is made that the information or references are complete or remain current. This article is not a substitute for review of current applicable government regulations, industry standards or other standards specific to your business and/or activities and should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. Readers with specific questions should refer to the applicable standards or consult with an attorney.

Grainger provides discounts to FSEA members in a variety of categories, including safety, material handling, power tools, motors and more. Visit www.fsea.com for more information or log into your Grainger account at www.grainger.com.

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