Energy savings steam ahead for pharmaceutical supplier

Energy costs have been reduced by over £67 000 a year at pharmaceutical company Aesica following the installation of GE steam traps. 200 steam traps installed throughout the process plant have reduced energy use by 28%. Aesica bought this site at Ponders End from Merck Sharp & Dohme last October. When Merck Sharp & Dohme recruited Phil Page as utilities engineer and energy manager, he was given special responsibility for saving energy. Having previously installed GEM steam traps at GlaxoSmith Kline, he was aware of their potential for saving energy. A survey by Gardner Energy Management showed that about 10% of the steam traps on the site were failing open — resulting in 8900 t of steam being lost each year at a cost of over £67 000 and being responsible for over 300 t of carbon-dioxide emissions. During the following year, all 200 mechanical traps were replaced with Gem traps. Such was the success of this project that a senior executive from the USA visited the site. As a result, Merck Sharp & Dohme is proposing to install Gem traps at a US site and then roll out the use of these traps throughout its world operation.

Related links:

• www.gemtrap.co.uk