PBP Supplement Issue 1 - Energy Wise

The energy saving supplement brought to you by Peterlee Business Park Group

WINTER 2015

01

GLOBAL EXPANSION PLANS FUEL GAS

Pictured: Judith Bennison

Seaham based Great Annual Savings Group to recruit international head.

A COST management specialist has kickstarted the next phase of its recruitment drive to prepare for expansion into international markets.

Great Annual Savings Group has created several senior positions as part of its strategy of growing its presence outside of the UK. With key markets in Europe an initial target, the Seaham-based firm is seeking to hire a head of international to oversee the rollout of its global growth strategy. Six other senior roles have been created, including a head of e-commerce who will oversee the implementation of GAS’s digital and sales strategy, a marketing and communications manager, and a head of corporate who will advise clients on a range of cost-saving measures.

GAS is also looking to hire an additional 15 experienced sales executives to help grow its portfolio of clients, which include the Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club in Durham, ready meal supplier Tyneside Foodservice and the Parkmore Hotel and Leisure Club in Eaglescliffe.

of that plan. We’ve already built a strong UK footprint since launching the business in 2012 and now we want to help clients in other countries to manage and reduce their variable business costs.”

In addition, GAS has recruited IT specialist Chantelle Waller to beef up its digital services arm. Previously Chantelle was employed at SSI UK in Redcar but lost her job when the Teesside steelmaker mothballed its Redcar blast furnace.

GAS helps businesses reduce their variable costs and save money in a range of areas including energy procurement, energy and water cost management, fire safety, telecoms and insurance. The company has embarked on an aggressive growth strategy and has more than doubled staff numbers since relocating to Seaham in June.

Judith Bennison, group HR director at Great Annual Savings Group, said: “Our longterm plan is to expand the company into key overseas markets and getting these senior appointments in place is a vital part

The company, which currently employs 61 people, is on track to recruit another 30-40 staff by the end of this year, with the ultimate goal to increase headcount to 150 by the end of 2016.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BEING ENERGY WISE?

COME ALONG TO OUR ENERGY EVENT ON TUESDAY 17th NOVEMBER 8:30-10:30 at EAST DURHAM COLLEGE PBP invites you to hear from Great Annual Savings, who will give advice and guidance on how to save money within your business. Free energy audits are available to those Peterlee Business Park members who attend. We’ll also hear from NSK and learn about the efficiencies they’ve made within their business and how this has contributed to their bottom line. Breakfast and refreshments will be provided. To register, visit peterleebusiness.co.uk.

The PBP News Energy Supplement is sponsored by

SAVING YOU MORE, ON MORE

0843 886 0776

info@greatannualsavings.com

www.greatannualsavings.com

Introduction by Business Durham’s Joanne Urqhuart-Arnold

BUSINESSES COME TOGETHER TO SHARE ENERGY ADVICE WELCOME to first of several themed newsletters that Peterlee Business Park Group will be producing over the coming months.

It’s our aim to provide companies with access to information which will benefit them, and we know that rising energy costs is one of their biggest challenges.

A few months ago, in response to feedback from our members, we set out on an energy efficiency journey to highlight to businesses how they can lower their energy bills and increase productivity.

NSK SAVES THOUSANDS THROUGH AIR SUPPLY IMPROVEMENTS

Since then, we’ve seen petrol prices continue to drop and feed-in tariffs reduce and the world seems to have moved on. However, one thing is usually guaranteed, and that is that sooner or later prices will increase and businesses will have to absorb yet more costs.

If measures haven’t been put in place to remove inefficiencies within the business, then the increased costs will be even harder to meet. This can ultimately have a detrimental effect on our employers.

MORE THAN £60,000 per annum has been saved thanks to a programme of improvements being led by two apprentices at global bearings giant NSK’s Peterlee plant.

To support us with our ambition, Business Durham approached Great Annual Savings (GAS) to see if there were measures that the PBP members could take, to ensure that their utility costs were as low as possible.

To that end, GAS has agreed to present to our members an array of information about the measures that businesses can take, as well as extend a free energy audit to members who attend our next event, details of which can be found at peterleebusiness.co.uk.

James said: “We’ve been looking into the amount of air NSK uses, which amounts to over 7,000 pints of beer per second, and how much was being wasted because the machines weren’t operating in the most efficient way.

For those of you yet to benefit from feed-in tariffs, or those where wind turbines are not an option, time is of the essence. As a nation, our consumption continues to rise, yet energy production takes many years to uplift. It’s simple economics of supply versus demand and for the short-term supply will prove more difficult, as our power stations are slowly replaced. Why not get ahead of the game and make an informed judgement about driving down your utility costs and come to our Energy Wise Event on November 17. Can you afford to miss it?

We’d also love to hear from you if there’s a particular issue you’d like us to tackle. So please email a member of the LEC Consultancy team, who have produced this supplement and manage all Peterlee Business Park communications; info@peterleebusiness.co.uk.

James Dixon and Alex Higham have been tasked to survey machines in all areas, identify compressed air leaks and carrying out repairs.

They have been coming in each Saturday to carry out maintenance on the machines to reduce the amount of air which is being wasted.

“Basically demand was up to maximum capacity and we didn’t want to have to buy a new compressor, so we looked at reducing wastage by rectifying any problems with the machines we had.

“We found we were wasting nearly 20 per cent of our compressed air and were able to calculate how much that was costing NSK each year.

“But now, because of the repairs we’ve carried out, the air wastage has been significantly reduced and we expect to see significant savings this year and going forward.”

The air supply improvement programme will run until the end of April after which it will be reviewed to determine whether it will be rolled out.

Malcolm Waites added: “We spend around £2m per year on electricity and of that, 30 per cent is on compressed air. So the fact we were wasting so much was something we had to look at and already, in a relatively short space of time, the results speak for themselves.”

Hear more about NSK’s energy saving efforts at the Peterlee Business Park Energy Event on Tuesday November 17th (see front page).

Pictured: Richard Egginton

80 PER CENT SAVING ON LIGHTING BILL FOR SOTECH Savings contribute to a reduction of 20 per cent on overall energy bills.

AFTER noticing energy costs creeping up, Sotech successfully took action to reverse the trend and has reduced its lighting bill by almost 80 per cent with an LED overhaul.

Richard said: “It was just a positive exercise all round. The energy from LED lights are about 25 per cent of the cost of traditional light bulbs to start with.

The rainscreen cladding and architectural fabrication firm, based on Peterlee Business Park, estimated that it was spending around £8,000 a year on lighting alone.

“As well as saving on energy costs, we also saved on fittings, because when we tested the lights we could remove about 33 per cent of the actual fittings as well.

After undergoing an energy audit by an external specialist in 2013, Sotech realised its then current lighting system was highly inefficient and decided to invest in replacements.

“It was an 80 per cent saving on the lighting bill, that equates to about a 20 per cent overall reduction on our energy costs.

So in 2014, the firm had 68 400w lights replaced with 40 120w LED lights – slashing its energy costs to around £2,000 per year.

The total cost of the overhaul was £8,000 – a cost which has been almost recouped within the first year, according to Richard Egginton, Business Systems Manager at Sotech.

“It is something which I think every business should look at because we often focus on cutting energy costs from machine running times, for example. We are all so focused on producing with our heads down, we rarely look up and consider the costs of the lighting.

“We turn lights on like we flick the kettle on, or switch the TV on, we don’t tend to think about that as a way of saving money but we

should, because if you can save £8,000 a year it’s a significant reduction in overheads.”

Richard said Sotech’s old lighting system used to have a ‘warm-up’ process before it was at full power, and, if the lights were accidentally turned off then they had to undergo a ‘cooling-off’ period before they would turn back on again.

The new LED lights offer an immediate and simple on/off system, with some of the fittings boasting state-of-the-art sensors to alter output depending on the amount of natural light available.

Richard added: “When we decided to invest in new LED lights we had about £800 of repairs due on the lights which already existed. We were replacing probably ten bulbs per year and the costs all stacked up. We decided to go for it and the decision definitely paid off.”

Find out more at sotech-optima.co.uk.

The PBP News Energy Supplement is sponsored by

SAVING YOU MORE, ON MORE

0843 886 0776

info@greatannualsavings.com

www.greatannualsavings.com

Pictured: The IVIC team

LED SOLUTIONS BRING NUMEROUS BENEFITS FOR IVIC’S CUSTOMERS Clients find a boost in staff productivity and concentration as a result of LED lighting.

IVIC is an expert in assisting businesses and organisations become more energy efficient with the use of a range of LED lighting options.

The company – which was formed in 1989 – has helped to reduce their customers’ commercial electricity bills by designing bespoke lighting systems to individual company requirements.

The cash-savings in the tough economic climate are not the only benefit, with many of IVIC’s clients finding a boost in staff productivity and concentration as a result of the type of lights fitted.

IVIC is constantly developing LED lighting solutions for its local and international clients, some of which include; Caterpillar, NSK, Sotech, AKS, Heerema, Babcock, BAE, TATA Steel, and the National Railway Museum to name but a few. The company has also diversified and supplied LED ‘daylight’

lighting to a local primary school, which has reportedly seen an increase in pupil attentiveness, according to teaching staff.

IVIC’s Managing Director Vic Bell, who set up the company with his wife Irene before being joined by a third director Sybil Blenkinsopp, said: “We have found that companies save at least 70 per cent on electrical and maintenance costs by using our lighting.

reputation for personal customer service.”

In its infancy, IVIC initially supplied electrical and mechanical products to the British coal mining industry. In the demise of the coal industry in 1993, the firm then concentrated its efforts into other heavy duty manufacturing engineering industries such as iron, steel, ship-repair and ship building.

“We understand what LEDs are, the client informs us what they want and we design to their requirements. We offer a bespoke service, all with the ultimate aim of creating the best lighting solution possible for the least money.

IVIC Ltd has diversified into the safety market by becoming an installer for work at height and confined spaces rescue equipment. The company has recently added an LED lighting showroom open to the trade and public on its premises, and a website with over 3,000 LED light fittings, shades and LED light bulbs.

“We provide lighting solutions to organisations nationwide, including a range of products for the building of the new air craft carriers. We pride ourselves on our engineering capabilities and long standing

The IVIC team includes office manager Sharon Hamilton, electrical sales manager Gary Lester, mechanical sales manager Eddie Mett, and a dedicated team of trained production and administration workers.

The PBP News Energy Supplement is sponsored by

SAVING YOU MORE, ON MORE

0843 886 0776

info@greatannualsavings.com

www.greatannualsavings.com

TOP TEN

QUICK CASE STUDIES

ENERGY SAVING

TIPS FOR SMEs

CITY HOTEL DURHAM

SAVINGS:

£5,926.77 ON ELECTRICITY

There are plenty of ways that your business can save energy and cut back on outgoing bills. Here is a rundown of 10 of the best energy saving ideas: 1. Switch to energy saving lightbulbs - using greener bulbs will cut energy usage and save money – they use up to 80 per cent less energy than standard lamps and they don’t need to be replaced as often either, so you could keep your maintenance bills down.

2. Install motion sensitive lighting - it’s easy to leave lights on where you don’t need them. Motion sensitive lights will turn off automatically when rooms are not in use.

3. Don’t switch on air conditioning too early you may not need heating or air conditioning during mild days. Switch off heating when the temperature reaches 21°C. 4. Maximise efficiency of air conditioning - if you do need air conditioning, help it stay efficient by keeping doors and windows shut.

5. Invest in microgeneration - producing your own energy can help keep bills down and cut your business’s carbon footprint. Solar photovoltaic panels work on buildings of all sizes.

6. Switch off computers overnight - turning off a single monitor when it’s not in use and over the weekends could save your organisation up to £35 a year on business electricity bills.

7. Only boil the water you need - everyone loves a tea break, but be careful how much water your employees are heating up. If we all only boiled the water we needed for a cup of tea, we’d save enough electricity a year to power the UK’s street lights for a month.

8. Update your technology - old and out of date models of computers, fridges and even boilers tend to be far less energy efficient. Update to energy efficient products wherever possible.

9. Put up energy saving posters - to remind employees of the energy saving measures, put up posters to prompt them.

10. Conduct an energy audit - take regular meter readings around your premises to keep track of your energy consumption, that way you will know what processes use the most energy and will be able to identify areas where savings could be made.

Source: British Gas

£4,100 ON GAS

OVER THE 3-YEAR PERIOD RAMSIDE HALL HOTEL & GOLF CLUB

WE HAVE HELPED THE CLIENT MAKE SAVINGS ON A RANGE OF VARIABLE BUSINESS COSTS INCLUDING...

GAS

ELECTRICITY

INSURANCE

FIRE SAFETY

WATER

COMBINED SAVINGS:

£250,000

OVER 3 YEARS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING INSTALLATION OF OUR MONITORING SOFTWARE FOR GAS, ELECTRIC AND WATER, INCLUDING 23 SUB METERS IN THE NEW SPA DEVELOPMENT TYNESIDE FOOD SERVICE

WE HAVE HELPED THEM BUILD ENERGY-SAVING MEASURES INCLUDING ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTING AT THE COMPANY’S BLAYDON SITE, AS WELL AS A NEW 50 KILOWATT SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM WHICH CAPTURES ENERGY FROM THE SUN AND CONVERTS IT INTO GREEN ELECTRICITY

ANNUAL SAVING

PROJECTED AT

£20,000

FAMILY BUSINESS LIGHTS THE WAY TO LOWER BILLS HARBRO ELECTRICAL is helping companies across the area save money by reducing their energy bills.

Family business Harbro has been trading for more than 20 years and recently completed a major refit of its showroom on the South West Industrial Estate in Peterlee.

The company specialises in LED products, supplying to businesses, traders and residents.

Managing Director Phil Harbord said: “We have definitely seen an increase in the popularity of LED lighting products, which

now account for 90 per cent of our stock.

“LED lighting is definitely more energy efficient and I think that’s why so many businesses are switching to it.

“We offer free surveys to any business or resident to show them how switching to LED lighting can save them money, and those we’ve worked with have noticed a reduction in their energy bills.”

Harbro has worked with businesses across East Durham and beyond including NSK, Mecaplast, East Durham College, Goodfellow and Goodfellow, Easington Tyre Centre,

Pictured: The Harbro team

Seaham Hall, Wynyard Hall, Kookaburra, TSF Retail, Steadfast Security and MKM Building Supplies.

Harbro Electrical employs seven people from its base at Whitworth Road, which now includes a ‘show home’ to showcase their LED products.

To find out more about the company visit the website, harbroelectrical.co.uk.

Pictured: George Brogdon

DRIVING BETTER VALUE

HEATING FUEL

ACROSS THE NORTH FOREVER FUELS is the UK’s leading distributor of ENplus Grade (A1) wood pellets, with the largest fleet of specialist tankers and depots of any supplier.

“This winter we will have three tankers of various sizes based at Fishburn, to go with our three locally employed drivers, to service domestic through to commercial customers.”

A spokeswoman for the company said: “It was clear to us that the rural communities in Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire, many of whom are off-grid and heavily reliant on fossil fuels, needed a more sustainable and better value heating fuel.

The Forever Fuels North East and North Yorkshire team includes account manager Deborah Bell and drivers George Brogdon, Kevin Outhwaite and Paul Wilson.

“In 2013 Forever Fuels opened a wood pellet depot in Fishburn to serve these areas and provide people with a cost effective alternative.

To find out more about what the company does, and how it could help you save money, please contact Deborah Bell on 01740617996.

Email sales-north@forever-fuels.com or visit forever-fuels.com.