PFS ASSESSMENT

Simple Processes
Easy Assessments
Mentorships
Partnerships
Efficiency Projects
Bottom-Line Results

Practical Steps for Small Business


Assessment CASE STUDY 1-A  

Anderson Seal, Inc.
Full service distributor of seals with 52 employees
Headquartered in New Berlin, WI

Assessment Tool & Process

Remarks from Jennifer Hansen
President of Anderson Seal, Inc.

"We didn't realize it would be 180 strategies. It was pretty comprehensive. We were surprised that it was so comprehensive, covering energy efficiency, recycling, waste reduction, supply chains, travel, green product design ... that it really covered the whole scope of as much as it did. And it was a good journey and one doesn't always have the resources or the tools to know where to start, so just the assessment tool itself was good because it could guide you in a 180 different strategies and then pick the ones that you could get going on right away. What we first decided to do was narrow the options down to 11 key strategies and how we did that was by focusing on what was most relevant in our business and then which ones would have the greatest return on our investment."

ENERGY AUDIT AND UPGRADES

Remarks from Craig Lidwin
Plant Manager, Anderson Seal, Inc.

"I feel one of our key strategies we had was to have a formal energy audit of both our plants. They did suggest switching our T-12 to T-8 high efficiency lighting in our offices which would save us an additional 40% in energy savings. Our outdoor lighting - by updating that - would also save us between 70% and 90% energy savings. We'll definitely be updating our lighting."

OTHER COST SAVINGS ACTIONS

Remarks from John Ausprung
Warehouse Supervisor, Anderson Seal Inc.

"We actually reduced our paper use by a 100,000 sheets a year. We have recycle bins that we have put around in each work area and make it more convenient for people to recycle. Cardboard compactor we use to recycle cardboard. We try to make double-sided copies, another way to save paper. It kind of makes you look at all the different ways you really are over-using things and wasting things and it really makes you stop and think what you can save."

DOCK TO STOCK

Jennifer:  "When we started performing "Dock to Stock" as we call them, our just-in-time delivery services of our product to our core customers, about fifteen years ago."

John:  "We partnered with our key partners to recycle our pallets and to reuse reusable containers and through that we save over $60,000 per year. So it's pretty surprising it was that much. I didn't think it was going to be that high."

Jennifer:  "As customers get into their own sustainability journey a little bit more I think that they will be able to use what we are doing in our "Dock to Stock" service as a sustainability cost-savings on their end because of the elimination of all the boxes and packaging materials and inserts and labels and all the things that happens when shipping every week."

John:  "When we realized how much we are saving with the "Dock to Stock" it made us think we could save more by looking at other areas."

FINAL THOUGHTS

Jennifer:  "It was a valuable opportunity to look at all the things that not only have you not done yet and how much money it could save your company's bottom-line but the current things that you are doing ... how you can capitalize and educate your employees on why what we are doing is also sustainable and saving the company money."

Craig:  "It was very educational. I think it made us more aware of what we have in our surroundings."

John:  "Without the program, if you are trying to realize and think at what to look at, it's kind of difficult. But when you have 180 different things you can look at on paper right in front of you and it shows you if it's going to cost you and the return on investment and makes things a lot easier." 

Jennifer:  "You can keep it very short. We did the whole thing in about a month and a half. Which I think is critical because you don't want to drag it out. You want to identify your actions items, perform them and then see the results on them pretty quickly."

Craig:  "It's something that we got to share with our employees on it. We gave presentations and informed them about the things we would be doing."

Jennifer:  "I think you need to be accountable to the community, to the employees and to the environment in general. I think that's part of your job as a business owner. But also, I think it's a good retention and attraction for current and potential new employees to show that we are really involved in this and this is something we value in our business."  


To learn more about the PFS Assessment program,
contact Bill Mitchell at 262-695-7901 or bmitchell@wctc.edu