(A new approach to Energy Management)
Company Information
Bostik Industries Limited has been manufacturing Adhesive & Sealant Products in Ireland since 1955 as Evode Industries Limited. The company initially operated from a custom built factory in Swords village, Co. Dublin. However within the short space of ten years Evode had outgrown the site and had to re-locate to its present 7-acre site at Newtown, Swords in 1965.
The site comprises of head office facilities as well as a state of the art manufacturing plant and a high technology driven laboratory for testing and research. In 2011 Bostik Industries Limited, Ireland was announced as one of Bostik’s Centres of Excellence for Cementitious products.
Project Description
Bostik Industries energy management programme is directed by its Managing Director, Ciaran O’Driscoll alias the Energy Champion. The Energy Co-ordinator, Paul O’Sullivan oversees and monitors the various actions and an Energy Management Team (EMT) consisting of eight staff that cover the full spread of operations within the business assist with delivery. The Energy Champion is a key influencer in all business decisions and sitting in on the EMT meetings, he is in a position to bring all energy issues to senior management attention for discussion and regular review.
A new approach to energy management was deemed necessary on the back of some poor energy performance comparisons to other Bostik Group sites; this was further compounded with the rapidly increasing cost of energy between 2006 and 2008. It was also considered important that Bostik Industries Limited should reduce CO2 emissions and enhance their corporate social responsibility standing. An effective “Energy Policy” was developed and implemented across all functional areas and endorsed by the Managing Director. The EMT drives day to day energy management awareness programmes and reviews electricity, gas and fuel oil bills at its meetings to ensure EPIs are met. It also is responsible for ensuring that all energy saving initiatives are reviewed and implemented. An SEAI sponsored Services to Business audit identified over 40 action points for review and implementation; many have now been implemented fully.
The implementation of the above actions resulted in an immediate benefit in terms of energy use on site. There was a significant reduction in electricity use in the second half of 2008 and a reduction in gas use in November/December ’08 over the previous year. These reductions accelerated in 2009 and continued through to 2010 and into 2011. The constant focus brought by monthly review has helped maintain and indeed improve on the initial savings generated. In summary, from 2008 to 2010 Bostik Industries Limited has reduced its energy bill by almost 20% over this period.
Judges Description
Bostik Industries Limited has reduced its energy consumption through the application of good management practice and has implemented a companywide structure to ensure savings are maintained with very little capital investment. The approach is based on the SEAI Energy Map principles with the energy management team driving energy policy. Energy consumption and costs are monitored monthly and the staff annual bonus is directly related to improved energy performance. This low cost energy management programme can be easily replicated.