Leeds manufacturer halves energy costs thanks to LEP support

Specialist manufacturer Leeds Galvanising and Powder Coating Limited is the largest galvanising and powder coating plant in the North of England, employing 45 staff.  They contacted the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership’s (LEPs) Resource Efficiency Fund (REF) as they wanted to explore how they could save money through more efficient energy use.

After a visit from Resource Efficiency Manager, Mark Hoult, they identified that an ageing fixed speed air compressor used for a number of critical processes in its manufacturing chain was costing over £20,000 a year in energy costs alone.

The company discovered that replacing the compressor with a new variable speed device would both save money and increase efficiency, as the new machine manages the delivery of air based on process demand. They were able to access £9,875 match funding through the REF – part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Local Growth Fund - for 50% of the cost of the new compressor.

As a result of the support from the REF, Simon Kelly, Managing Director of the company has halved his energy costs for compressed air, saving a massive £10,000 a year.  The company has also reduced its CO2 emissions by 61 tCO2 per year.

As well as reducing emissions and saving money, the modern and reliable compressor has improved the resilience of the production processes for many years to come.

Simon is delighted with the support and investment  he has received and said:

“The REF has provided a great package of support and helped me to both identify the opportunity and provide the funding and support to make it happen. In addition to the financial savings, the REF has also helped improve our environmental credentials and that is increasingly important in today’s marketplace”