MEDIA CONTACT:
Casey Langan, Senior PR & Media Relations Specialist (Focus on Energy)
608.230.7031   [email protected]

WEST ALLIS – Focus on Energy’s Strategic Energy Management program has helped Quad/Graphics achieve major energy and cost savings.

It is estimated Quad/Graphics will achieve more than $100,000 in annual energy savings at its 1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in West Allis that operates 24/7 and employs more than 800 people.

Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin businesses and residents to install cost effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Focus on Energy’s Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program provides technical, management and financial support to companies looking to improve energy performance and lower costs.

A team of Quad/Graphics employees worked with Focus on Energy during 2016-17 to implement a continuous improvement program for energy management. Program projects included:

  • Installing energy-usage meters on individual pieces of production equipment to enhance data collection and analysis capabilities;
  • Upgrading facility lighting and compressed air systems to improve energy efficiencies;
  • Reinvigorating the facility’s Energy Management Team, whereby team members identify energy-saving opportunities, drive action and increase awareness.

Quad/Graphics’ participation has yielded significant results, including improving electric efficiency by 2.8 percent and natural gas efficiency by nearly 4.4 percent over its baseline period, which ran from January to December of 2016. As a result, the company’s West Allis plant has saved 1.1 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 50,000 therms of natural gas – enough energy savings to power 116 Wisconsin homes every year.

“Quad/Graphics has always focused on being a good environmental steward, and that extends to energy management,” said Ken Berg, Quad/Graphics Corporate Facilities Engineering Manager. “Participation in this program is consistent with our company’s ongoing efforts to integrate energy considerations into organizational decision-making and operational activities and supports our goal of remaining the industry’s high-quality, low-cost producer. Due to its success, we will look to replicate many aspects of the program at our other plants.”

“It really was a group effort with the West Allis plant energy team, maintenance groups and corporate engineering working to identify and implement improvements,” said Jamie Steckl, Quad/Graphics Plant Production Support Manager. “All the efforts have proved valuable and reduced our impact on the environment.”

“The SEM program is a win for the companies that participate and a win the environment in which we all share,” said Richard Feustel, Focus on Energy’s advisor to Quad/Graphics. “The information, resources and financial incentives help companies implement projects that otherwise would not get completed, or to complete projects sooner than scheduled. This makes Wisconsin employers more efficient and competitive in the global marketplace.”

The Quad/Graphics facility in West Allis is one of 30 Wisconsin companies participating in Focus on Energy’s SEM Program. Quad/Graphics, which received $100,000 in financial incentives for participating, is serviced by We Energies. We Energies is one of more than 100 Wisconsin electric and natural gas utilities that partners with Focus on Energy.

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