He said one of the first improvements
he made after joining the Trans Tech team in 2007 was to replace its linear produc- tion line with a circular, more efficient process. Te previous linear process did not allow the company to properly utilize its facility, materials, energy or labor force, Daniels explained. “By redesigning the layout of our
manufacturing process, we were able to maximize the floor space in our facil- ity, make our production process more efficient and fill customer orders more quickly,” he said. “As a result, we were able to implement a four-day work week, which has helped us to significantly re- duce power usage.”
TRASH TALK FOR COST SAVINGS IC Bus has also increased its efforts to
reduce landfill waste and energy con- sumption. Greg Hutchison, manager of the company’s Tulsa, Okla., bus plant, said two green projects are underway. Te first is a complete upgrade to en-
ergy-efficient, high-output light fixtures, which could save about $140,000 annu- ally. Te second project entails re-piping the main plant’s air compressor and add- ing a monitoring system to the current compressors that will rotate usage, poten- tially reducing energy costs by $70,116, or 39 percent. Te Tulsa plant recycles cardboard, pa-
per and wood pallets, receiving a monthly reimbursement for wood of up to $3,500, Hutchison noted. Paint recycling has also produced cost savings. “All paint system purge solvent is sent
off to Reclaimed Energy in Connersville, Ind., to be recycled, and then we buy it back at a reduced cost to reuse,” he said. “Te waste goes through a re-blending process and is exactly the same as buying virgin solvent.” In addition, the paint filters are sent to
Covanta Energy, whose 40-plus facilities generate energy from waste. “Several non-hazardous waste streams
that are being sent to a waste disposal company have been approved by Covanta and the state to go to the waste-to-energy plant for steam production,” Hutchison continued. “Tis will reduce the cost of disposal as well as reuse waste material to produce energy.” Marc Bedard, president of Quebec-
www.stnonline.com 33
based Lion Bus, said the company is using less paint and doing less welding, which minimizes toxic emissions from its plant in St. Jerome, north of Montreal. Te company switched to using com-
posites like TermoPlastic Olefin (TPO) and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic panel, he noted, because of cus- tomer feedback. “We are using gel coats instead of paint,”
Bedard said. “Our waste management is also getting more efficient, and we recycle as much as possible.” He confirmed that the company, which
launched in 2011, is starting to explore alt- fuel options for its Type C buses. “Te market is open, so we are inves-
tigating alternative fuels,” he said. “In Quebec everything is electric, so we’ll see what we do in the future.” ■
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