Submitted by Mitch Gross, Eversource
BERLIN, Conn. (December 15, 2020) – From personal protective equipment to sterile vials and more, New England manufacturers are producing essential products for workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because these production processes require large amounts of electricity, energy efficiency is an important asset to support these critical manufacturers. By partnering with Eversource to complete comprehensive energy efficiency upgrades at their facilities, manufacturers across Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are enhancing their operations and reducing their energy costs in the fight against COVID-19 – while also helping contribute to New England’s clean energy and carbon-free future.
“These are challenging times for our customers as we continue to experience the impacts of COVID-19 from both a public health and an economic standpoint,” said Eversource Vice President of Energy Efficiency Tilak Subrahmanian. “Energy efficiency is one of the most valuable solutions available to our customers as they adapt to today’s world, and we are proud to partner with manufacturers across the region to provide our technical expertise and financing assistance to upgrade their facilities and help them ramp up production to support those responding on the front lines of the pandemic. This commitment to energy efficiency is making their operations more efficient while reducing their energy costs and impact on the environment – helping to ensure that they can sustainably do their essential work.”
When the pandemic emerged earlier this year, Industrial Heater Corporation in Cheshire, Conn., was able to quickly shift one of its production lines to manufacture metal nose clips for N95 face masks thanks in part to its commitment to energy efficiency. Industrial Heater also worked with Eversource last fall to complete an energy and process assessment of its facility, which led to increasing production of heating elements and assemblies by 25%. Leveraging its increased production capacity and the lean manufacturing principles applied in the company’s work with Eversource helped enable the family-owned business to produce 50,000 nose clips for protective face masks used by frontline workers at the U.S. Coast Guard, Yale-New Haven Hospital, and multiple local police, fire, and EMS departments throughout the state.
“Our new approach and company-wide commitment to energy efficiency put us in the right place at the right time,” said Industrial Heater Vice President of Business Development Tom McGwire. “Our output has increased so that we can help serve more frontline workers and we’re wasting less on inventory – all in the same eight-hour period. We’re producing more while saving energy, which helps us focus on ensuring that our partners have the products they need to safely respond to the pandemic.”
Eversource’s team of energy efficiency experts continues to partner with manufacturers across its three-state service territory. These energy efficiency experts work one-on-one with manufacturers, assisting with selecting high-efficiency equipment, evaluating processes to identify ways to enhance the efficiency of operations, and connecting customers with financial assistance to implement projects. Business customers interested in energy-saving services and solutions should visit the Save Money & Energy section of Eversource.com for more information.
