You Can’t Improve A Hob Nob – Or Can You?

JRP Solutions, the UK based energy and facilities specialist, worked in close collaboration with the Carbon Trust Scotland and Scotland Food & Drink to deliver energy reductions and cost savings at McVitie’s in Glasgow.

An extensive pilot of the innovative methodology, Energy Catalyst, was funded by the Carbon Trust over a number of months in 2012/13 to assess the current energy performance of individual assets and processes at the McVitie’s Tollcross plant. It also identified, evaluated and prioritised practical improvement measures and projects to significantly reduce the energy used within the conversion processes.

The results were very impactful. A suite of measures and improvement projects were identified that, once implemented, could reduce energy consumption at the site by up to 41% which equates to approximately 8% of the total operating costs for the site.

Energy Catalyst also helps manufacturing businesses to meet the sustainability targets and environmental commitments required of them by their own customers, particularly high street retailers such as Marks & Spencer and their Plan A.

Engineering Manager, Steve Marshall commented “Energy Catalyst was recently deployed at Tollcross and identified numerous practical wide ranging improvement opportunities that, predicated savings based on analytical findings, could reduce our energy costs by a staggering 41%.”

JRP Solutions founder and Managing Director, Jes Rutter commented “We recognised that whilst food manufacturers were aware that 80-90% of their energy is used within the conversion process there was no simple tool that would help reduce energy consumption. The work at McVitie’s clearly illustrates the huge economic and environmental benefits available to manufacturers through Energy Catalyst and we’re already working with a number of other major food businesses to help deliver insights and benefits of a similar magnitude.”

Paul Wedgwood, General Manager, Scotland for the Carbon Trust said “These detailed investigations at the McVitie’s Glasgow site highlighted how significant energy cost and carbon emissions savings can often be identified when expert on-site analysis is carried out. With energy prices likely to continue to rise businesses should grasp opportunities like these as soon as they can.”

Further information is available from JRP Solutions via www.jrpsolutions.com or tel. 01454 299175