Camso

Driving home energy savings with strategic energy management

Camso is a customer-focused, world-class manufacturer of tracks and tires for off-road vehicles. When it comes to their production facilities, they stay on-track by following cutting-edge best practices—and that includes their approach to energy use.

Thirty years in the industry has given plant engineering manager, John Conery, a 360° view of energy-related issues. When John learned about a strategic energy management (SEM) pilot program through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), he knew Camso would be better positioned to understand and control energy use around the facility. Taking advantage of the program would be beneficial, resulting in a better understanding of energy management and significant cost savings.

SEM Program Fuels Knowledge and Resources

SEM allows companies to assess, understand, and integrate continuous energy improvement directly into their business models. It can make businesses more competitive by saving them money while streamlining processes and minimizing interruptions. As part of the SEM program, NYSERDA offers training and tools for participants. Training sessions guide employees through the process of establishing and implementing an SEM system. Participants learn to measure and track energy use to help inform strategic business decisions, drive energy focused managerial and corporate behavioral changes, and develop the mechanisms to track and evaluate energy optimization efforts.

With the support of the program, John put together a team of colleagues, created a plan, and in just under a year, completed several strategic energy upgrades that are already yielding results.

Projects to date include steam trap audits and improvements, air compressor reconfiguration, and the addition of a variable frequency drive (VFD) to the cooling tower controls. By implementing these measures, John was able to better control temperature, switch to smaller compressors, and identify and address air leaks. These upgrades and adjustments are saving Camso more than $35,000 annually.

Quiet Power Revs Up Energy Efficiency

Using techniques learned in the workshops and from the tool kit, John is engaging people across the organization. Thanks to this increased engagement, employee-dependent efforts like their recent “shut it off” campaign have been successful. “I would walk through different areas and see the lights were off and the machines weren’t running,” said John. “It was working.” While John is no stranger to energy efficiency and has worked with NYSERDA in the past, the SEM pilot empowered him to take things to another level. He specifically credits SEM and NYSERDA for helping him engage employees and raise overall awareness. As for the ongoing workshops, they’ve provided a wealth of ideas and inspiration, as well as a strong network of peer support. And according to John, having access to data monitoring systems has been a game-changer.

NYSERDA’s Strategic Energy Management Program

Through the Strategic Energy Management Program, NYSERDA funds training that guides companies and their employees through the process of establishing and implementing an SEM system. The program helps companies apply the principles of continuous improvement to energy management, to create a long-term comprehensive approach that fosters substantial long-term savings.