Swan Corporation
Centralia, Illinois
Intern: Daniel De Schepper
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
Swan Corporation is located in Centralia, IL. Swan produces counter tops,
sinks, shower enclosures, tubs and water resistant paneling. These products
are used in commercial and home applications.
The primary objectives of the intern project were to evaluate opportunities to
save energy, reduce solvent use and reuse scrap materials.
Results:
The intern made the following recommendations:
- Eliminate over lit areas of the plant and upgrade lamps from 400W metal halide
to 360W metal halide lamps. This project has the potential to save over
$72,000 annually with a payback period of less than two months.
- Implement a leak detection and repair plan for compressed air lines, in conjunction
with repairing 91 leaks that were identified during the project. This
could save over $18,500 a year, with a payback period of less than three months. Additionally,
reducing the compressed air operating pressure from 102 psi to 86 psi would increase
the annual savings to nearly $21,000.
- Utilize the dri-quick infra-red ovens to dry painted parts during the third
shift. This project could save over $22,000 in peak power charges.
- Develop a program to test the feasibility of reusing scrap material to replace
wooden shipping skids. Potential cost avoidance could exceed $500,000.
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