The recent investment in new plant lighting in the manufacturing area of Guyson’s Saratoga Springs plant proved to be a very bright idea, all around.
BEFORE: Halide lights left some areas under-lit and had an energy footprint that was a little too 1980s.
One by one, down came the old metal halide lights that lit the main assembly area since our major plant expansion in 1988. The legacy fixtures always made a noticeable humming sound, took about five minutes to reach full brightness and cast a kind of orange-tinted glow, but the bigger issue was that several areas of Assembly and Electrical were a little dim and required auxiliary work lighting.
The new four-lamp T5 HO light fixtures have a large reflector that helps each one brilliantly illuminate a broader area, virtually eliminating dim zones and the need for extra work lights. The biggest benefit, however, is the dramatic difference in the efficiency of the new lighting.
AFTER: More energy-efficient lighting installed in 2010 also improves the quality of work lighting in Assembly, Electrical, Shipping and Receiving.
While the new lights installed in Phase One of the lighting upgrade represent a considerable investment, initial estimates indicate a significant decrease in our energy usage by 59,000 kWh per annum, for an annual savings on the electric utility bill of about $12,000!
Congratulations on a job well done to all who contributed to the 2010 lighting project.
