Going green on a grand scale

Local Nestle plant saves money, finds satisfaction in conservation efforts

By Ed Nadolski

Editor in chief

Nestlé’s Burlington factory is widely known for turning out all kinds of confectionary treats that come in one delicious color – chocolate brown.

However, in recent years officials at the factory have been working to develop a reputation for a very different color – green.

Conservation efforts to reduce consumption of energy and programs to reuse or recycle what used to be considered waste and byproducts have the local operation on track to save significant money and all but eliminate the waste the company generates.

“The goal is to be 98 percent landfill free by 2015,” said Bill Noel, who serves as facilitator of Nestlé’s Burlington Conservation Team.

That’s no small feat for one of the area’s largest manufacturers and a plant that cranks out a significant portion of the chocolate consumed in North America.

Noel and the members of the conservation team have used a multi-pronged approach to achieve their goals. They started by identifying energy-consuming equipment that could be upgraded, repaired or controlled in a cost-saving manner and then moved on to changing employee practices and behaviors to enhance conservation efforts.

Low-hanging fruit

Two years ago, the plant worked with Focus on Energy – a program offered by the state’s utilities to foster greater energy efficiency – Nestle changed out all the light fixtures in the plant.

According to Kevin Duffy, energy ambassador with Way to Save Burlington!, the plant received incentives from Focus on Energy to make the lighting changes and, in turn, is saving 30-40 percent on its lighting bill.

Ron Davis, a plant engineer and Conservation Team member, changes in lighting alone will save $6,500 annually.

In addition to new fixtures, the plant is saving money by installing motion detectors in little used areas and shutting off lights in others that are not used ‘round the clock.

While the main manufacturing areas are used 24/7, some of the offices and other ancillary spaces are closed on weekends. That accounts for about 25 percent of the facility, according to Noel.

The plant has developed checklists for what gets shutdown and when. Employees in those areas are then recruited to carry out the conservation efforts.

“There’s a lot of savings as soon as we get everyone on track,” Noel said.

Duffy noted that those types of programs can produce significant savings at no capital cost to the company. He called it the “low-hanging fruit.”

Eliminating leaks

Another area of the operation that has been identified as prime for savings is the compressed air that is piped throughout the facility to operate machines and equipment. Compressed air leaks are insidious and can be found throughout the system – at fittings, in hoses and within the equipment itself.

Noel said the company can earn monetary incentives – up to $6,000 – from Focus on Energy for every leak it identifies and eliminates.

“What we’ll save in air is going to be amazing,” Davis predicted.

The company is served by four large compressors that take a considerable amount of energy to run.

Dan Romberg, an industrial engineer at the plant, estimated the factory has 100,000 air fittings that could be sources of leaks.

“People can relate to turning off lights, but this is like leaving a window open all winter,” he said.

Cultural change

The other major initiative involves changing the traditional culture with which employees approach conservation efforts.

In other words, plant officials want employees to become invested in the company’s green initiative.

As Romberg explains it, “It’s easier to leave the lights on at work because somebody else is paying for it.”

Davis said such a culture shift is learned. He pointed to the factory’s safety efforts as an example.

“We now have employees who wear earplugs when they mow the lawn at home,” he said.

Nestlé now provides blue recycling barrels throughout the plant for cardboard, paper and plastic strapping.

The Conservation Team’s education efforts are paying off and employees are now “buying in and offering suggestions,” Noel said.

Employees have been rewarded with a brat day during which members of the team cooked bratwurst to thank employees for helping accomplish conservation goals.

The team has also hosted SHE (safety, health, environment) fairs where the plant’s waste and recycling partners are brought in to explain what they do with the factory’s waste and byproducts.

“The employees are coming around now,” Noel said, which is good news for the plant’s bottom line and the environment.