Zero-labour solutions
January 1st 2007 Less is More says Rosie Sims. The skills shortage in UK industry creates demand for zero-labour energy efficiency solutions Asurvey published by the Energy Institute in September 2006 indicates that the growing shortage of skilled workers is forming one of the greatest concerns for UK industry today – and this should come as no surprise: An aging workforce is leaving companies struggling without the wealth of knowledge and skills gained through decades of industry experience. At the same time, the steady decline in applicants qualified in science and technology has served to increase competition between industries for new workers. One of the key areas suffering from this trend is energy management. With the current issue of energy efficiency being a strong concern across industry, the role of the energy manager has become a crucial aspect of company management and requires a greater degree of skill and experience than ever before. Indeed, it has become such an important part of a business that Sir John Collins, President of the Energy Institute, stated recently that 'every business should employ an energy manager… and a board member responsible for energy consumption.' Yet despite this recognition, many companies still do not fully appreciate the potential impact of the skills shortage on this rapidly expanding field. With a lack of experienced applicants for energy management roles, industry is faced with the challenge of managing soaring energy costs with a workforce that is declining in the necessary expertise to achieve this. At Toray Textiles, a UK leader in advanced synthetic fabric manufacture, Engineering, Safety and Environment Manager Mike Fisher commented, 'In recent years it has become increasingly difficult to recruit suitably experienced engineers in the field of utility and energy management. In my experience it involves repeated advertising and extensive interviewing, which takes up an enormous amount of time and effort – as well as cost.' Concurrent pressures stemming from an intensely competitive business climate exacerbate the issue, as many companies simply do not have the resources to appoint a dedicated energy manager. This trend is forcing businesses to take decisive action when it comes to energy management, and many companies are becoming increasingly reliant on novel technologies. 'We started to look into new technologies to improve efficiency,' says Mike Fisher, 'It seemed to be the best option available to us.' The introduction of reliable energy efficient installations offers a way out of the energy management conundrum, as they can not only substantially improve a business's bottom line by reducing energy consumption, but they also have the potential to free up manpower – and this is set to become a key advantage should the current skills shortage continue into the future as predicted. The number of such measures available is growing every day, and there is a plethora of new machinery reaching the market that is more efficient than previous models. However, replacing machinery can be costly, and such technologies are unlikely to be installed unless the previous equipment needs replacement anyway. Additionally, machinery often requires a trained operator, which adds extra costs and places the coveted achievement of RoI further out of reach. For those companies that are not in a position to acquire a new system, there seem to be fewer options. However, more unconventional methods of improving energy efficiency have been demonstrated to bring surprisingly positive results. UK-based company Maxsys Ltd offers a technology that not only increases the fuel efficiency of existing machinery such as boilers and burners, but also does not require a trained worker to operate it. The Fuel+TM unit applies a magnetic field to the fuel supply before combustion, increasing fuel efficiency by a guaranteed minimum of 5%, and reducing carbon emissions. Mike Fisher comments, 'We have had the Fuel+ unit installed at Toray Textiles Ltd for two years now, and the benefits we have derived from the technology have been significant.' The system is installed directly onto the existing gas or oil fuel lines in either a horizontal or vertical configuration. It has no moving parts and requires no electrical supply, providing optimum long term reliability, and minimal maintenance and labour costs after installation. Mike Fisher continues, 'Not only have we experienced a substantial reduction in energy consumption, but the system is also highly reliable and requires no maintenance. Once installed, there are zero manpower costs - in fact, it has produced exactly the results we were promised.' Such zero-labour systems can reduce the impact of the skills shortage, giving businesses peace of mind about their energy consumption without the need for a skilled workforce. 'The Fuel+ TM system provides a straightforward solution to reducing energy costs without the need for an operator or maintenance engineer,' Says Barry Singh, managing director of Maxsys Ltd. 'With the current shortage of skilled workers, this kind of installation is going to become increasingly popular across industry as a means of managing energy consumption.' The skills shortage need not be a cause for alarm – plants can and do operate productively with a size of workforce that would have seemed inconceivable only a short time ago, and new technologies have played a major role in this development. With reliable processes in place, a company is free to focus on other issues and concerns requiring attention in what has become a highly competitive business environment. More articles from Maxsys Ltd: | 
