BOSTON - The Ardagh Group, of Milford, Mass., is one of 70 manufacturing plants nationwide that have achieved Energy Star certification for their superior energy performance in 2015.
The Ardagh Group plant in Milford, Massachusetts was built in 1973 with one glassmaking furnace to supply the food and carbonated beverage markets. The plant has reinvented itself twice in its history, first, in 1987, when the location began producing beer bottles, and a 2nd time in 2006, when the facility was converted to manufacture all amber-colored glass, enabling the post-consumer recycling rate to be increased from 50 to 75 percent. Today, the plant has 2 furnaces that use 570 tons of raw and recycled materials in its continuous operations, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and the facility supports approximately 225 hourly and salaried employees manufacturing approximately 2.4 million glass bottles each day for the beer market.
Ardagh Group's Milford plant was Energy Star certified for the 1st time in 2010, and has earned the Energy Star certification each year from 2012 through 2015. The Milford plant took the following actions to enhance its energy efficiency:
- Utilizing approximately in excess of 85 percent cullet (crushed, recycled glass) in its operations;
- Energy optimization in both furnaces;
- Retrofitting of old lighting with energy efficient LED fixtures; and
- Reduction of water usage in manufacturing process.
The 70 manufacturing plants acknowledged nationally this year by E.P.A. for their Energy Star certification have saved a record amount of energy, cut their energy bills by $476 million, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by in excess of 5 million metric tons - equal to the average yearly energy use of in excess of 450,500 households.
Since 2006, Energy Star has certified manufacturing plants that reach the top 25 percent of energy performance for their industries nationwide each year. Energy Star certified plants must have their energy performance independently verified. Plants from the automotive, cement manufacturing, corn refining, food processing, glass manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and petroleum refining industries are among those that qualified in 2015.
"Energy Star certified manufacturing plants make the case that we can cost-effectively combat climate change through greater energy efficiency," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "From applying corporate energy management programs to implementing energy efficiency projects, there are many ways plants can save energy with EPA's Energy Star program."
E.P.A. provides industry-specific Energy Star plant benchmarking tools to help industry measure energy performance. These tools are accessible for 15 manufacturing sectors and enable companies to compare a plant's energy performance against those of its industry counterparts and empower manufacturers to set informed improvement goals.
More information:
- Energy Star certified plants: www.energystar.gov/plants
- For specific plant profiles: www.energystar.gov/buildinglist
- To learn more about how Energy Star and industry work together, see: www.energystar.gov/industry
