Steve Katz, Editor02.09.15
Spectrum Label has overhauled the lighting system in the pressroom, warehouse and shipping areas of its 65,000 square foot label manufacturing facility in Hayward, CA, USA. The results are glaring. Not only is the converter seeing a significant reduction in Green House Gases, the new lights are saving the company $18,000 annually in energy costs.
In January 2015, over four days, Spectrum Label completed the installation of 98 LED lights of 58 watts, replacing 98 halogen 250-watt lamps. The new LEDs concluded a three-year, three-phase project at Spectrum Label for reducing Green House Gas emissions from electricity.
The seeds for this undertaking were planted initially in 2008, when one of Spectrum’s large customers required a Green House Gas emissions report of the converter’s electricity and gas usage. And in 2011, when TLMI approached Spectrum’s VP of Engineering Bruce Riddell about chairing a group to develop a plan for helping association members report GHG emissions, there was no hesitation. Riddell says, “Spectrum has always attempted to be at the leading edge of regulatory compliance, so this was easily embraced by the company. And in the spirit of compliance, we began to look at other opportunities to reduce Green House Gas emissions and seek sustainability.”
Spectrum’s 65,000 square foot facility was constructed in 1999. “Though our facility is not considered old, the technology for lighting had surpassed the equipment we originally installed,” Riddell explains. “We had 30 400 watt halogen lights in our warehouse and core cutting room, which were left on for 20 to 22 hours per day because they took so long to re-ignite when turned off. We had 16 250 watt halogen lights in the finishing/shipping department and another 98 250 watt halogens in the pressroom. We also had purchased a brand new 50HP rotary screw air compressor in 1999, but the technology had since developed a new variable speed drive compressor that was much more energy efficient.”
In 2011, Spectrum embarked on Phase I of its lighting project, installing 30 4’ T5 F54T/850 fluorescent fixtures in the warehouse area that reduced the wattage from 400 watt lamps to 58 watts. “In addition, because these new lights were instant on, we installed motion detectors that allowed the light to be shut off when not in use,” Riddell says.
A second project was completed in 2012, with the replacement of the compressor with an energy efficient computerized variable speed unit. Riddell says this unit saves considerable energy by idling when air is not needed and slowing down to manage energy consumption.
Phase II
“We were told by our lighting contractor that the 250 watt halogens in our pressroom could be replaced with 2’ x 2’ flat panel LED lights, which would save energy and supply equal lighting to the 98 250 watt lights,” recalls Riddell.
“Since this was in the pressroom, we were hesitant to move too quickly due to the critical nature of the work space,” he adds. “Our lights are also positioned over the presses so installation looked a bit daunting. We tried five sample light fixtures, and, upon the pressmen’s approval, decided to move forward with the remaining 93 lights.”
Phase III
Spectrum Label's new LED lights arrived in early January 2015 and were installed in four days. They replaced each 2’ x 2’ fixture with a thin flat panel retrofit unit. Once installed, Riddell says the new lights exhibited a significant improvement in brightness – a critical component to a pressroom’s operation. “Pressmen were thanking us for making it easier to see the printing, and their work areas were significantly brighter,” he says.
Halogen lights can vary in color and be yellow and reddish, but Spectrum’s new lights are all exactly the same bright white. “The shipping department is also very pleased, as their work areas are much brighter too,” Riddell says.
What's really bright for Specctrum Label is the savings. In addition to the yearly energy savings of $18,000, the result of these projects has reduced Spectrum’s CO2 footprint from 665.32 metric tons in 2008 to 365.71 metric tons in 2014.
In January 2015, over four days, Spectrum Label completed the installation of 98 LED lights of 58 watts, replacing 98 halogen 250-watt lamps. The new LEDs concluded a three-year, three-phase project at Spectrum Label for reducing Green House Gas emissions from electricity.
The seeds for this undertaking were planted initially in 2008, when one of Spectrum’s large customers required a Green House Gas emissions report of the converter’s electricity and gas usage. And in 2011, when TLMI approached Spectrum’s VP of Engineering Bruce Riddell about chairing a group to develop a plan for helping association members report GHG emissions, there was no hesitation. Riddell says, “Spectrum has always attempted to be at the leading edge of regulatory compliance, so this was easily embraced by the company. And in the spirit of compliance, we began to look at other opportunities to reduce Green House Gas emissions and seek sustainability.”
Spectrum’s 65,000 square foot facility was constructed in 1999. “Though our facility is not considered old, the technology for lighting had surpassed the equipment we originally installed,” Riddell explains. “We had 30 400 watt halogen lights in our warehouse and core cutting room, which were left on for 20 to 22 hours per day because they took so long to re-ignite when turned off. We had 16 250 watt halogen lights in the finishing/shipping department and another 98 250 watt halogens in the pressroom. We also had purchased a brand new 50HP rotary screw air compressor in 1999, but the technology had since developed a new variable speed drive compressor that was much more energy efficient.”
In 2011, Spectrum embarked on Phase I of its lighting project, installing 30 4’ T5 F54T/850 fluorescent fixtures in the warehouse area that reduced the wattage from 400 watt lamps to 58 watts. “In addition, because these new lights were instant on, we installed motion detectors that allowed the light to be shut off when not in use,” Riddell says.
A second project was completed in 2012, with the replacement of the compressor with an energy efficient computerized variable speed unit. Riddell says this unit saves considerable energy by idling when air is not needed and slowing down to manage energy consumption.
Phase II
“We were told by our lighting contractor that the 250 watt halogens in our pressroom could be replaced with 2’ x 2’ flat panel LED lights, which would save energy and supply equal lighting to the 98 250 watt lights,” recalls Riddell.
“Since this was in the pressroom, we were hesitant to move too quickly due to the critical nature of the work space,” he adds. “Our lights are also positioned over the presses so installation looked a bit daunting. We tried five sample light fixtures, and, upon the pressmen’s approval, decided to move forward with the remaining 93 lights.”
Phase III
Spectrum Label's new LED lights arrived in early January 2015 and were installed in four days. They replaced each 2’ x 2’ fixture with a thin flat panel retrofit unit. Once installed, Riddell says the new lights exhibited a significant improvement in brightness – a critical component to a pressroom’s operation. “Pressmen were thanking us for making it easier to see the printing, and their work areas were significantly brighter,” he says.
Halogen lights can vary in color and be yellow and reddish, but Spectrum’s new lights are all exactly the same bright white. “The shipping department is also very pleased, as their work areas are much brighter too,” Riddell says.
What's really bright for Specctrum Label is the savings. In addition to the yearly energy savings of $18,000, the result of these projects has reduced Spectrum’s CO2 footprint from 665.32 metric tons in 2008 to 365.71 metric tons in 2014.