Web Industries

Web Industries Hartford, located in Dayville, CT, is part of the larger Web Industries family headquartered in Marlborough, MA. At Web Industries, employees do more than work for the company; they also own the company, which specializes in producing flexible materials for medical diagnostics, aerospace, wire/cable, data communications applications, and consumer goods.

Unlike many manufacturing projects that involve building systems, Web Industries has consistently found ways to reduce energy consumption in the area that accounts for the majority of its usage: the manufacturing processes. In order to remain competitive in its market, while being responsible stewards of the environment, the company recently completed projects involving extensive process line throughput improvements. This included upgrading equipment with more energy-efficient items such as electronically commutated motors and variable frequency drives for speed control. In addition, Web Industries proceeded with LED Lighting upgrades, with occupancy control and advanced control to tailor lighting output to specific task needs. The company also purchased new equipment that increased throughput and up time and reduces idle heating time and scrap.

Uniquely, many of these improvements were designed by the employees themselves. A project completed late in 2014 involved the custom, in-house design of a new winder system, with all the flexibility their business required. Other improvements were designed and built entirely onsite by Web Industries’ own engineering and maintenance personnel.

These combined projects have yielded impressive energy and financial savings. Web Industries is saving nearly 2 million kWh annually, and more than $250,000 in annual electricity costs. These results were even better than Web Industries expected.

This tremendous success has encouraged Dayville employee/owners to go even further with efficiency measures. Already, they have presented new ideas for future energy efficiency projects to managers. Future plans include a new chiller, as well as potential new production lines.

From the beginning of these efficiency projects, Eversource Energy Engineers assisted Web Industries staff in fully defining all possible energy savings. Web Industries believes the projects may not have been approved without the energy savings and the support that Eversource provided. As Web Industries moves forward with future efficiency plans, Eversource continues providing crucial recommendations and guidance.

The Dayville facility is now known as a technical leader and a cost effective producer within Web Industries—so much so that new business growth opportunities  requiring highly efficient processes are receiving capital support from the corporate office based on the successful track record of these efficiency improvement efforts. Through their own commitment, creative thinking, and enthusiasm, the employee/owners of this plant have proven that energy efficiency is as good for business as it is for our planet.