Lower Your Natural Gas Bill Now: Quick Tips for Manufacturers

You are probably still stinging from the pain of paying your business's first energy bills of the winter. Energy rates have skyrocketed, with many businesses seeing their bills nearly double compared to last year's. There are a number of ways that NYC manufacturers can reduce their energy bills, including reducing energy demand and usage, finding a more competitively priced supplier, investing in energy efficient facility improvements, and using alternative energy sources. Further, there are a number of public programs that can reduce business costs (visit http://www.itac.org/Public_Sector_Resources.htm for more details). ITAC Update will be outlining these initiatives in greater detail in coming months. In this issue, we will address ways that businesses using natural gas can reduce their costs this season.

Process Heating
Process heating is used in nearly all manufacturing processes, and about 85 percent of natural gas consumption in a typical manufacturing plant is used to directly fire process heating equipment or to fuel boilers to generate steam for process heating. Here are a number of low-cost operational changes and upgrades to increase energy efficiency and lower natural gas consumption.

Minimize air leakage into the furnace or boiler by sealing openings. This reduces the excess use of fuel required to heat ambient air entering the furnace.
Operate furnaces and boilers at or near design capacity. This decreases the amount of fuel consumption per unit of production.
Clean heat transfer surfaces can improve system efficiency. Examine flue-side heat transfer surfaces for deposits of sludge, scale or soot. Heat transfer surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis and continuous agitation or other methods should be utilized to discourage the build-up of deposits.
Reduce excess air used for combustion. Measure and control air-fuel ratio, or oxygen and carbon monoxide content of flue gases from furnaces, ovens, and boilers for the entire range of operation.
Make sure that the furnace or boiler is properly insulated to reduce wall heat losses.
Consider installing automatic furnace pressure controllers that regulate and stabilize pressure in process heating equipment. Maintaining positive pressure can help to reduce the furnace draft and cold air infiltration that can increase natural gas consumption in process heating.
Adequately insulate air or water-cooled surfaces exposed to the furnace environment and steam lines leaving the boiler. This can help reduce heat losses from piping.
Improve water treatment to minimize boiler blowdown. This helps to lower the amount of total dissolved solids in the boiler water, which reduces blowdown and, therefore, energy losses.
For boilers, repair steam leaks and take steps to minimize vented steam.
Implement an effective steam trap maintenance program. This promotes efficient operation of end-use heat transfer equipment and reduces live steam in the condensate system.

Space Heating

Because they are constantly being opened and closed, loading dock doors are particularly responsible for energy loss in storage or warehouse areas. Regularly monitoring doors to make sure that they are closed when not in use can save a tremendous amount on heating bills.
Use of infrared heaters in dock areas, as well as high velocity air blowers can help to keep cold outside air from entering the facility when doors must be open.
Plant areas with high ceilings should utilize ceiling fans to blow warm air downward to prevent it from being wasted.
Regularly inspect doors and windows for worn or damaged caulking and weather stripping, and repair or replace when necessary.
Schedule an inspection and cleaning for all heating equipment on an annual basis to ensure that the system is operating as efficiently as possible.
Conduct periodic maintenance, such as changing filters and checking pipes and duct insulation for damage.
Programmable thermostats are a reasonably low cost upgrade that can save energy by operating the heating system according to occupancy schedules and nighttime and weekend setbacks.

For more information about other ways to save on energy, contact Jane Tabachnick at ITAC at 212-442-2990 or jtabachnick@itac.org

A Call to Local Innovators: TechNYC Census

Is your firm conducting research and development in NYC? Then stand up and be counted! TechNYC, a program of the Industrial and Technology Assistance Corporation (ITAC) is conducting a census of New York City technology businesses. The technology industry in New York City is extremely diverse, encompassing information systems, financial products, biotech and medical products, advanced manufacturing and more. ITAC wants to learn who these businesses are, what they do and what their unique needs are in order to promote growth in and raise the profile of the technology sector.

Register at www.technyc.org/registration.html to ensure that your business is counted among the thousands of other technology firms in NYC! The first 200 firms to register will receive a free USB memory stick! For more information, or to register your business, visit www.technyc.org or contact Leah Archibald at 212-442-2990 or larchibald@itac.org. ITAC is a non-profit economic development organization that works one-on-one with manufacturing and technology firms in NYC--visit www.itac.org for more details.

Upcoming Events

The State of Investing in NYC: FastTrac CEO Roundtable Breakfast
Date: February 2, 2006, 8:00 am Pace University, 163 William St.
Cost: free for FastTrac alumni, $20 for others

David Rose will be talking about the state of early stage investment in NYC--how to raise capital, and the potential pitfalls and obstacles to look out for when raising capital in the NYC marketplace. For more information, or to reserve your space, please contact Jane Tabachnick at ITAC at 212-442-2990 or jtabachnick@itac.org

Lean Manufacturing 101 Workshop
Date: February 8, 2006, 8:30 am
Location: ITAC Offices, 253 Broadway, Suite 302, New York, NY
Cost: $95

Would you like to produce faster, better and less expensively with your existing resources? What if, in doing so, you could increase your sales, improve customer satisfaction and increase profitability? Principals and key managers at local manufacturing firms should attend this workshop to learn how lean manufacturing techniques help firms produce more with existing resources by eliminating non-value added activities. Workshop simulation exercises help participants experience first hand how lean techniques increase space utilization, improve quality, reduce cycle time, improve delivery performance, and reduce work-in-process. Application of lean techniques enables firms to increase profits, improve customer satisfaction and become more competitive.

For more information contact Mei Sit at 212-442-2990 or msit@itac.org

FastTrac
Date: February 23, 2006 to May 11, 2006
Cost: $1000 for technology businesses, $500 for manufacturers.

Manufacturing and Technology leaders! Do you want to become more competitive, expand your business and raise capital? Sign up for ITAC's FastTrac, a 12-session business development and growth program presented by ITAC and created to address the needs of companies seeking to develop or improve their business model, acquire strategic partners, and position their company to attract capital and outshine the competition. The program, in its 6th year, combines small group presentations by the instructor and prominent guest speakers, one-on-one coaching, and peer learning, to help entrepreneurs and company leaders produce well-critiqued business plans and strategies. To date, companies that have attended the program have raised over $60,000,000.00. Can you afford not to be there? For more information visit http://www.itac.org/fasttrac.html.

Call ITAC at 212-442-2990 or email Franklin Madison at fmadison@itac.org for more information.

About ITAC

ITAC is a non-profit economic development organization dedicated to creating and retaining jobs for New Yorkers. We provide indepth one-on-one technical assistance for New York City manufacturers and technology firms to help them stay competitive in the marketplace. ITAC's unique combination of business expertise and expert resource network makes us a valuable partner to help NYC companies grow, change and thrive.

ITAC receives significant financial support from the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR), New York's high-technology economic development agency, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). ITAC serves as NYSTAR®'s designated Regional Technology Development Center for New York City and one of nearly 350 MEP locations across the country and works directly with regional companies to increase their competitiveness and profitability.

January 2006

Got a Problem Only a Rocket Scientist Can Solve? Call SATOP

Lower Your Natural Gas Bill Now: Quick Tips for Manufacturers

A Call to Local Innovators: TechNYC Census

Upcoming Events

About ITAC


	January 2006 Got a Problem Only a Rocket Scientist Can Solve? Call SATOP Lower Your Natural Gas Bill Now: Quick Tips for Manufacturers A Call to Local Innovators: TechNYC Census Upcoming ITAC Events About ITAC Got a Problem Only a Rocket Scientist Can Solve? Call SATOP If your business is facing a technical challenge, the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) wants to help! SATOP offers a service of up to 40 hours of FREE engineering assistance for qualified requests. It is a program designed and funded by NASA to assist small businesses in need of technical assistance to help foster economic growth. SATOP is made up of an alliance of more than 45 space companies, universities, colleges and NASA Centers. There is no catch, no hidden fee for use of this service! SATOP is available to small businesses (under 500 employees), non-profit groups, inventors, or entrepreneurs in any industry. It has helped companies with machine design, process engineering, material selection, and many other technical issues. ITAC is an official SATOP program administrator for New York City. Interested companies should contact Sonia Moin, Technology Program Specialist, at 212-788-7222 or email her at smoin@itac.org.	NASA's rocket scientists are at your disposal through the SATOP program .
	Lower Your Natural Gas Bill Now: Quick Tips for Manufacturers You are probably still stinging from the pain of paying your business's first energy bills of the winter. Energy rates have skyrocketed, with many businesses seeing their bills nearly double compared to last year's. There are a number of ways that NYC manufacturers can reduce their energy bills, including reducing energy demand and usage, finding a more competitively priced supplier, investing in energy efficient facility improvements, and using alternative energy sources. Further, there are a number of public programs that can reduce business costs (visit http://www.itac.org/Public_Sector_Resources.htm for more details). ITAC Update will be outlining these initiatives in greater detail in coming months. In this issue, we will address ways that businesses using natural gas can reduce their costs this season. Process Heating Process heating is used in nearly all manufacturing processes, and about 85 percent of natural gas consumption in a typical manufacturing plant is used to directly fire process heating equipment or to fuel boilers to generate steam for process heating. Here are a number of low-cost operational changes and upgrades to increase energy efficiency and lower natural gas consumption. Minimize air leakage into the furnace or boiler by sealing openings. This reduces the excess use of fuel required to heat ambient air entering the furnace. Operate furnaces and boilers at or near design capacity. This decreases the amount of fuel consumption per unit of production. Clean heat transfer surfaces can improve system efficiency. Examine flue-side heat transfer surfaces for deposits of sludge, scale or soot. Heat transfer surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis and continuous agitation or other methods should be utilized to discourage the build-up of deposits. Reduce excess air used for combustion. Measure and control air-fuel ratio, or oxygen and carbon monoxide content of flue gases from furnaces, ovens, and boilers for the entire range of operation. Make sure that the furnace or boiler is properly insulated to reduce wall heat losses. Consider installing automatic furnace pressure controllers that regulate and stabilize pressure in process heating equipment. Maintaining positive pressure can help to reduce the furnace draft and cold air infiltration that can increase natural gas consumption in process heating. Adequately insulate air or water-cooled surfaces exposed to the furnace environment and steam lines leaving the boiler. This can help reduce heat losses from piping. Improve water treatment to minimize boiler blowdown. This helps to lower the amount of total dissolved solids in the boiler water, which reduces blowdown and, therefore, energy losses. For boilers, repair steam leaks and take steps to minimize vented steam. Implement an effective steam trap maintenance program. This promotes efficient operation of end-use heat transfer equipment and reduces live steam in the condensate system. Space Heating Because they are constantly being opened and closed, loading dock doors are particularly responsible for energy loss in storage or warehouse areas. Regularly monitoring doors to make sure that they are closed when not in use can save a tremendous amount on heating bills. Use of infrared heaters in dock areas, as well as high velocity air blowers can help to keep cold outside air from entering the facility when doors must be open. Plant areas with high ceilings should utilize ceiling fans to blow warm air downward to prevent it from being wasted. Regularly inspect doors and windows for worn or damaged caulking and weather stripping, and repair or replace when necessary. Schedule an inspection and cleaning for all heating equipment on an annual basis to ensure that the system is operating as efficiently as possible. Conduct periodic maintenance, such as changing filters and checking pipes and duct insulation for damage. Programmable thermostats are a reasonably low cost upgrade that can save energy by operating the heating system according to occupancy schedules and nighttime and weekend setbacks. For more information about other ways to save on energy, contact Jane Tabachnick at ITAC at 212-442-2990 or jtabachnick@itac.org A Call to Local Innovators: TechNYC Census Is your firm conducting research and development in NYC? Then stand up and be counted! TechNYC, a program of the Industrial and Technology Assistance Corporation (ITAC) is conducting a census of New York City technology businesses. The technology industry in New York City is extremely diverse, encompassing information systems, financial products, biotech and medical products, advanced manufacturing and more. ITAC wants to learn who these businesses are, what they do and what their unique needs are in order to promote growth in and raise the profile of the technology sector. Register at www.technyc.org/registration.html to ensure that your business is counted among the thousands of other technology firms in NYC! The first 200 firms to register will receive a free USB memory stick! For more information, or to register your business, visit www.technyc.org or contact Leah Archibald at 212-442-2990 or larchibald@itac.org. ITAC is a non-profit economic development organization that works one-on-one with manufacturing and technology firms in NYC--visit www.itac.org for more details. Upcoming Events The State of Investing in NYC: FastTrac CEO Roundtable Breakfast Date: February 2, 2006, 8:00 am Pace University, 163 William St. Cost: free for FastTrac alumni, $20 for others David Rose will be talking about the state of early stage investment in NYC--how to raise capital, and the potential pitfalls and obstacles to look out for when raising capital in the NYC marketplace. For more information, or to reserve your space, please contact Jane Tabachnick at ITAC at 212-442-2990 or jtabachnick@itac.org Lean Manufacturing 101 Workshop Date: February 8, 2006, 8:30 am Location: ITAC Offices, 253 Broadway, Suite 302, New York, NY Cost: $95 Would you like to produce faster, better and less expensively with your existing resources? What if, in doing so, you could increase your sales, improve customer satisfaction and increase profitability? Principals and key managers at local manufacturing firms should attend this workshop to learn how lean manufacturing techniques help firms produce more with existing resources by eliminating non-value added activities. Workshop simulation exercises help participants experience first hand how lean techniques increase space utilization, improve quality, reduce cycle time, improve delivery performance, and reduce work-in-process. Application of lean techniques enables firms to increase profits, improve customer satisfaction and become more competitive. For more information contact Mei Sit at 212-442-2990 or msit@itac.org FastTrac Date: February 23, 2006 to May 11, 2006 Cost: $1000 for technology businesses, $500 for manufacturers. Manufacturing and Technology leaders! Do you want to become more competitive, expand your business and raise capital? Sign up for ITAC's FastTrac, a 12-session business development and growth program presented by ITAC and created to address the needs of companies seeking to develop or improve their business model, acquire strategic partners, and position their company to attract capital and outshine the competition. The program, in its 6th year, combines small group presentations by the instructor and prominent guest speakers, one-on-one coaching, and peer learning, to help entrepreneurs and company leaders produce well-critiqued business plans and strategies. To date, companies that have attended the program have raised over $60,000,000.00. Can you afford not to be there? For more information visit http://www.itac.org/fasttrac.html. Call ITAC at 212-442-2990 or email Franklin Madison at fmadison@itac.org for more information. About ITAC ITAC is a non-profit economic development organization dedicated to creating and retaining jobs for New Yorkers. We provide indepth one-on-one technical assistance for New York City manufacturers and technology firms to help them stay competitive in the marketplace. ITAC's unique combination of business expertise and expert resource network makes us a valuable partner to help NYC companies grow, change and thrive. ITAC receives significant financial support from the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR), New York's high-technology economic development agency, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). ITAC serves as NYSTAR®'s designated Regional Technology Development Center for New York City and one of nearly 350 MEP locations across the country and works directly with regional companies to increase their competitiveness and profitability.