SEP Program Improves Energy Performance and Increases Savings
At Detroit, we have an obsession with efficiency. While it’s obvious in our fuel-efficient engines, versatile transmissions and easily serviceable axles, it applies just as much to our manufacturing processes. So when our one and only Redford, MI plant earned its Platinum SEP (Superior Energy Performance) certification from the US Department of Energy, it was proof that our hard work was being noticed.
In a plant that produces 400 engines, 1300 axles and 250 transmissions every single day, our average energy bill is around $1 million each month. Our SEP program improved our facility’s energy performance by 32.5% and generated a savings of $37 million over the last 10 years alone. Savings of this magnitude are extremely beneficial and build up quickly, especially in a plant as big as ours. But just because we’re using less energy doesn’t mean we’re less productive.
Third party verifications show that, even after we increased production by 93%, our plant’s energy performance improved 32%. These energy and cost savings have gained the attention of our parent company, Daimler Truck North America, creating confidence in investing more money into energy savings programs. Because of this, our Detroit multidisciplinary energy team will stay on top of monitoring and reviewing the facility’s energy usage as well as evaluating potential energy projects.
When it comes to efficiency in all aspects of what we do, our obsession is far from over. Watch the video detailing the success of our SEP program here.