Energy optimization with enormous savings potential

Woodworking manufacturers need effective and energy efficient solutions to manage their production wood waste. To operate dust extraction systems requires large volumes of air, which requires more energy and with rising energy prices this has become an even greater challenge for manufacturers to manage. At BRW, one of Europe’s largest furniture manufacturer desired to increase their energy efficiency during production and Nederman delivered a solution to radically change the situation.

The wood industry is important for Poland, with most going on export, and the plants employ many people, directly and indirectly. The energy issue has become a problem that threatens prices and competitiveness. It is satisfying for us at Nederman to have ready solutions to offer our customers,” says Piotr Krysztofik, CEO of Nederman Poland. 

Nederman SAVE
BRW is the woodworking industry leader in Europe. Woodworking is a continuous process, often with two or three shifts up to 16 hours a day and energy consumption is a significant cost item. The filtration plant in Biłgoraj was installed 15 years ago and their existing control system means it was impossible to adapt the air extraction to the current use of the machines and thereby minimise energy use. It was quite simple for us to resolve this using our Nederman SAVE energy saving concept, by which we supplemented the existing equipment with digital sensors, equipped the system with additional dampers and inverters, as well as an intelligent control system for these. Nederman SAVE knows which machine or part of the machine that is in use and the extraction requirement, and based on this, the entire system is adjusted to minimise energy consumption. This new system is a much more effective solution compared with a differential pressure monitoring system that is otherwise used in most systems in the market.

White certificate reduces investment costs
The Polish government agencies offer an energy-saving programme, by which industries can apply for investment contributions to implement energy-saving solutions. An approved White certificate cuts the investment bill and makes the investment even more attractive. Nederman SAVE has a builtin reporting function and demonstrates the energy efficiency, making the application for a White certificate simple. The project starts with an audit of the plant, with proposals for measures, a cost calculation and theoretical energy saving. After the application is approved, the project moves on to a pilot installation to confirm the calculations before proceeding to full-scale installation. The BRW project commenced with an audit of the plant, with a proposal of measures for a selected production line. Based on measurements from the audit and actual use of the woodworking machines, the potential energy savings and investment costs are calculated for the line reviewed and the entire plant. Energy consumption and the energy costs enabled a repayment period of less than seven months for the investment in the Nederman SAVE system.

SAVE saves as much as 70% of energy
The result is astonishing and demonstrates an enormous potential from digitalisation alone, with the support of complex algorithms that cover industrial production processes. Alongside of this, there are several other benefits of Nederman SAVE, according to Piotr Krysztofik:

• More efficient staffing and use of resources
• Increased explosion safety (ATEX)
• Continuous filter optimisation with lower wear
• Remote monitoring/data collection
• Improved reporting
• Guaranteed uptime
• Preventive maintenance
• Simple calibration and adaption of the system after replacement of machines
• Use of surplus capacity in the system to connect further machines

BRW is only one of many businesses in the woodworking segment that are now reviewing their energy situation. In the same industry, there is, for example, the well-known company IKEA and in welding and smelters, for example, there are many players facing the same challenges. We know that we can offer market-leading solutions and 2023 looks like being a real breakthrough year for our energy-saving solutions, Piotr Krysztofik concludes.