Driving down costs through investing in energy efficiency

Crystal Doors is a manufacturing company based in Rochdale, employing 31 people. Its factory uses a lot of energy to power heavy machinery and specialist equipment.

Back in 2015, Crystal Doors embarked on a journey to transform its factory into a national leader in green manufacturing, and improving energy efficiency has been central to that mission.

Working with Manchester’s Business Growth Hub, Crystal Doors undertook an energy audit of its factory in Rochdale which identified 16 energy-saving measures it could take. It started by implementing ‘quick wins’ in energy efficiency, such as fixing leaks in the compressed air system and installing LED lighting, making annual net savings of £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.

Crystal Doors has integrated its work to become a green factory with its aim to become a smart, digitalised factory. One of the major added benefits of advanced digital technologies is their ability to automate energy efficiency. Crystal Doors’ smart dust extraction system uses AI to optimise fan speeds for each machine on the factory floor, cutting energy consumption by up to 72% compared to its 2015 baseline assessment.

Further measures taken by Crystal Doors to reduce its energy consumption include installing a 960kW biomass burner which heats the factory through the company’s own waste and installing 640 solar panels on the factory roof.

As a result of these changes, while Crystal Doors has nearly doubled in size as a business since 2015, the amount of electricity it draws from the grid has stayed relatively unchanged.

Related courses and resources

Surveys show that a large majority of global consumers expect companies to be run in a socially responsible manner, with 81% saying they are more likely to buy from brands with similar values to their own. Full IoD members can request a template CSR policy for your company from the Information & Advisory Service.