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Success Story: American Cat Emporium & Wood Products

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American Cat Emporium & Wood Products, New Lisbon, Wisconsin
20,000 Sq. Feet
Annual Cash Savings: $5,800
Annual Energy Savings: 110,476 kWh
Payback period: 3 years
Prevented 219,626 pounds of pollution

Wood Products Company Cuts Waste And Energy Costs

Just two years ago, American Cat Emporium & Wood Products had a poor reputation in the sleepy town of New Lisbon, Wisconsin. The wood products manufacturer had four decrepit buildings, three of which had only three walls. Its employees often had to wear insulated clothing to work. But then owner Linda Brinkman engaged in a complete renovation of the facility -- including incorporating energy-efficient technologies. Now the company enjoys improved facilities, happier and more productive employees, and substantial savings on its energy bills.

Shaving Energy Costs

Brinkman’s renovation of the four buildings was from the ground up, and along the way she was conscious of potential energy cost savings. The buildings have large windows to let the sun in, cutting down on the number of lights she needed to install. She used 12 T-8 fluorescent lamps with electonic ballasts, which are much more efficient than standard T-12s with magnetic ballasts. She also installed four metal halide lamps and two high-pressure sodium lamps. “It’s very well lit now,” Brinkman says. “Thanks to the energy-efficient upgrades, the employees work in a bright, safe environment. The whole appearance of the facility has improved, and so has employee morale.”

Chipping Away At The Cold

The buildings the company uses were at least 50 years old and in desperate need of renovation. Near the top of Brinkman’s list was to build fourth walls on the three buildings that had open sides. She used wall insulation with an insulating factor of R-9 and ceiling insulation with an insulating factor of R-48. Now the buildings, which were so cold in the winter that employees had to wear cumbersome clothing that affected their productivity, are warm. “They can work comfortably now,” Brinkman says. “Before, these buildings were barely inhabitable; now they are a great place to work.”

Warming Up To Energy Efficiency

Brinkman also had six high-efficiency gas furnaces installed in the buildings. The newest, most-energy efficient furnaces on the market, they are equipped with timers that regulate their operation, preventing a great deal of energy waste. The total cost of the new furnaces was $10,000. Because the whole facility was renovated and the open buildings are now completely enclosed, there is no way to compare the before and after energy bills. Typically, however, highly efficient gas furnaces are more efficient than older ones, so Brinkman can expect to save in fuel costs.

Polishing A New Image

Currently, 11 employees work at the 20,000-sq.ft. facility, producing more than 400 wooden products from raw timber, including wooden pallets and pet products, such as scratching posts. Before the renovation, which cost $60,000, Brinkman says the company found it difficult to attract highly productive and motivated employees. But now that the buildings have undergone a complete renovation, the company has had much better luck attracting and retaining its employees.

Wood Company Seals Future

Brinkman estimates that she is saving $5,800 a year on energy costs. The total cost of the energy-efficient technology was between $12,000 and $13,000, so she is looking at a payback period of less than three years. With better lighting and heating, attractive facilities, and more enthusiastic employees, the future of American Cat Emporium & Wood Products looks much brighter, indeed.

“Thanks to the energy-efficient upgrades, the employees work in a bright, safe environment. The whole appearance of the facility has improved, and so has employee morale.”

Linda Brinkman
Owner
American Cat Emporium & Wood Products