For over a century, Pierce Manufacturing has aimed to make a positive difference for the communities they serve and the communities where team members live. Many municipalities throughout the United States are also driving change by championing comprehensive climate policies. These policies have a tremendous impact on Pierce’s business operations because team members want to support and align with the expectations of customers.

Pierce’s focus on energy efficiency is focused on being good stewards of company resources, budgets, and the company’s ecological footprint.

“Energy efficiency is something we evaluate through key performance indicators (KPIs or goals) that are set inter-departmentally, and best practices are then shared across the company,” said Aimee McClure, Senior Environmental Manager at Pierce. “Having goals in place helps us make the right choices for projects that improve efficiencies and environmental impact.”

Having environmental parameters in place results in greater collaboration and teamwork because everyone is ultimately working toward the same goals.

Results of environmental assessments are reported regularly and form the basis for ongoing improvement plans which focus on the following factors:

• Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility.
• Adherence to all applicable environmental regulations is a requirement.
• Whenever possible, pollution is prevented by reducing and eliminating waste and emissions at the source.
• Top priority is assigned to processes that substitute hazardous materials with non-hazardous materials and use a source-reduction approach.

Focus on Energy: Energy Efficiency Excellence Award

While everyone expends energy to do their job, it takes a collaborative effort to protect work environments and take a green approach in how products are made and how they operate.

Sustainable manufacturing practices are an important way Pierce is leading the charge. Pierce was recognized with the Focus on Energy 2020 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award. Focus on Energy is a Wisconsin-based, statewide energy efficiency and renewable resources program that aligns with partner utilities across Wisconsin to choose 13 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award winners each year. The honorees are recognized for their commitment to reducing energy waste and making smart energy decisions that will bring lasting change to the environment, as well as lower energy costs to help make the state’s economy more globally competitive.

When asked about selecting Pierce as a 2020 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award recipient, Focus on Energy Senior Energy Advisor, Richard Feustel, stated, “Pierce Manufacturing is diligent and consistent in their energy-saving efforts. The projects completed include extensive production changes, building envelope upgrades, lighting conversions (inside and out), compressed air improvements and improved motor controls through variable frequency drives.”

Focus on Energy not only recognizes companies for their efforts to reduce energy waste but also provides financial incentives in the form of rebates on the overall cost of high-impact projects. Ensuring that Pierce took full advantage of resources to support environmental efforts, Aimee and an energy team made up of representatives from various operations functions, identified key areas where the greatest efficiencies and impact could be made.

Pierce’s most recent energy conservation efforts include:

• Convert Land to Prairie: Pierce IPP converted an area that was mowed lawn to a native prairie - saving energy and decreasing the company’s carbon footprint.
• Compressed Air Survey and Repair: After an annual compressed air study, compressed air leak kits called “LeaKits” were positioned throughout the production facility. The kits stock tools and equipment to fix compressed air leaks, which results in annual savings up to $30,000.
• Building Management System: Building management system upgrades included submetering large equipment and sections of each plant to track performance and optimize energy use.
• Overhead Door Repair Inventories: Frequent overhead door inventories are conducted to identify overhead and pedestrian doors in need of repair—saving energy from door leaks during hot and cold seasons.
• Recycled Safety Glasses: Pierce has partnered with Goodwill to wash, sanitize, and repackage safety glasses instead of throwing them away. 100,000 pairs of safety glasses (four tons of plastic) were saved from going to a landfill.
• Upgraded Door Insulation: New overhead doors were installed to improve insulation and the flow of natural sunlight. Maintenance areas added “green hinges” to hold exterior doors tight, reducing air leakage and improving energy savings.
• School Binders: Pierce donated over 200 binders to a local school, helping students and faculty in need of supplies, while also preventing the binders from going to a landfill.
• Fire Hose Koozies: Out of commission fire hoses were used to make can koozies. Proceeds from the sale of the can koozies were donated to support emergency responders.
• Zero Waste Events: Zero waste, electronic waste recycling, plastic recycling and annual lighting fairs were conducted to provide Pierce team members and their families with opportunities to safely recycle materials and electronics, as well as provide educational opportunities on energy savings.
• 14001 Certification: Pierce is the first ISO14001:2015 Environmental Management System (EMS) site domestically for Oshkosh Corporation.

Pierce is Leading the Way with Environmental Achievements

To date, Pierce has received significant incentives from Focus on Energy and achieved remarkable savings as a result of the conservation efforts listed above.

“From the projects implemented in 2018 to present, Pierce has saved 5,000,000 kilowatt hours and 320,400 therms annually—enough to power more than 600 homes each year,” said Richard. “Pierce’s energy conservation efforts have received incentives from Focus on Energy totaling more than $420,000 for projects and saved over half of a million dollars annually from energy reduction this year, with the same predictions for the years to come.

The energy efficiency and environmental achievements made in product innovation, on the production floor, and in the processes implemented throughout Pierce, extend far beyond the company’s doors. Vice President of Operations Mike Kephart shared, “It’s certainly an honor to be recognized by Focus on Energy, and it’s incredible to see how Pierce employees regularly show their dedication to the environment and the communities where they live. Team members continually identify ways they can make an impact by recognizing ways their work influences our world.”

The Pierce team makes it a fundamental objective to reduce energy waste and minimize adverse impacts on air, water and land.

Additionally, by preventing pollution at its source, team members improve the quality of products and services to maintain a healthy and safe work environment while protecting the environment.

Aimee envisions a future with more renewable energy. “We are always looking for innovative ways to improve and adapt our processes and products for our customers,” she said. “They may not always look to us directly for these solutions, but the environmental efforts we are making shed light on how our organization operates differently.”

Do you have additional questions about Pierce’s sustainability practices? Let us know in the comments below.