Center at Colorado State University Can Help Manufacturers Conserve Energy and Increase Profits

Colorado State University’s Industrial Assessment Center is offering free services for manufacturers that want to reduce energy and waste costs and boost productivity and profit.

The Industrial Assessment Center serves manufacturing companies in Colorado by offering comprehensive productivity, waste, energy and pollution prevention assessments. The program is designed to help small- and medium-size manufacturers.

"The Industrial Assessment Center provides quality on-site assessment services and follow-up services in a timely and thorough manner," said Harry Edwards, Colorado State professor and director of the Industrial Assessment Center. "Similar services from private assessment firms cost as much as $10,000. Our clients benefit from the professional recommendations of our assessment team at no charge."

The Industrial Assessment Center’s assessment team is made up of engineering professors and students. The team gathers utility and waste information from the client, then a one-day site visit is made to analyze energy use, waste generation and process operations. After identifying and analyzing a variety of ways to reduce operating costs, the team prepares a confidential report detailing findings and recommendations for the client.

"The Industrial Assessment Center saved our company $4,500 last year," said Dennis Bruce of CBW Automation in Fort Collins. "The recommendations we received addressed our unique operation and facilities and included all the necessary financial and technical information. We’re still implementing some of the recommendations, and will save even more in operating costs as a result."

The Industrial Assessment Center is funded by the Department of Energy and has been serving area manufacturers for 14 years. Some areas of Colorado may not be served by the center and participating companies must meet specific criteria to be eligible for the program.

For more information about the program and qualifying criteria, call Michael Kostrzewa, Industrial Assessment Center assistant director, at (970) 491-7709. Information also is available on the Internet at http://www.engr.colostate.edu/depts/me/iac.