Paterson Arran is a commercial bakery which produces some of Scotland’s most recognisable brands. As part of its commitment to long term sustainability, the company has set itself ambitious environmental targets with an imperative to reduce energy use as much as possible.
We have worked alongside the Paterson Arran management team since 2013 to reduce energy consumption and find ways to enhance resource use. Opportunities identified by our team to reduce energy consumption include upgrading to more energy efficient equipment, such as a new compressors and LED lighting.
Our advisors also recommended that the site undertake detailed monitoring and investigation of electricity use and purchase voltage optimisation software to regulate energy use around the site. It was estimated that good monitoring, investigating unusual trends in energy use and encouraging behavioural change in running the plant alone could reduce electricity costs between 5 – 10%.
Our technical experts then developed a business case to demonstrate the financial benefits of these upgrades, which calculated that the payback period would be less than a year. The SME Loan Scheme was recommended as a suitable source of Government funding.
Following our support, Paterson Arran installed voltage optimisation and power factor correction equipment in January 2016.
Food waste at each of the company’s four production lines is now measured and logged at source too, allowing waste to be attributed to specific plant areas and to individual products and recipes. According to Adam Wilson, Paterson Arran’s QHSE Manager, this ability to attribute data to specific processes could “present significant future opportunities, particularly with regard to identifying inefficient processes and justifying future investment.”
In total, our experts helped Paterson Arran identify a range of opportunities that would save 192,500 kWh of energy, 2.0 tonnes of waste/raw materials and 43 cubic metres of domestic water consumption – resulting in a total annual saving of £38,061.
“Sustainability is at the heart of our business, and our ambitious environmental targets are designed to continually push greater efficiency in our energy and resource use. Over the past four years, the team has supported us to meet this commitment and make long term savings to our energy bill. Scotland is a leading nation in the fight against climate change, and as one of Scotland’s most recognisable brands we are proud to reflect this in our business activities.” – Adam Wilson, Health, Safety and Environment manager.
Business Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to provide free, impartial support and access to funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises save energy, carbon and money
Whether you are just starting out on your energy-saving journey and need some pointers or are looking for expertise and funding to support your current plans, our team of experienced business advisors and energy-saving consultants are here to help. Get in touch today.
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