Kruger puts its energy to work
Tissue paper products manufacturing
Electricity Management Systems (EMS) Program
$125,000 in financial assistance to install an electricity management system.
An additional $146,000 over five years for the electricity savings achieved.
Anchoring optimal energy management in corporate culture
Located in an urban area, Produits Kruger in Gatineau benefits from unparalleled proximity to the neighbouring community. It's an asset that also brings its own set of challenges, particularly in terms of how it limits the plant's expansion. At Kruger, sustainable development is a long‑standing priority and the reason why its teams are focused on the common objective to continuously improve the plant's environmental performance. Aiming to reduce its energy footprint, Produits Kruger joined forces with Hydro‑Québec to define tailored solutions to lower costs and increase productivity. Under the Electricity Management Systems (EMS) Program, the Gatineau plant reevaluated its energy management and assessed the strategies that would most effectively reduce its energy use, increase profitability and strengthen its role as a responsible corporate citizen.
The unique challenge of doing more with less
Heating water and air during manufacturing, powering industrial equipment and maintaining optimal production conditions—paper processes are known to be energy intensive. Kruger is committed to reducing its environmental impact in every way possible. As energy costs rise and industrial plants seek to reduce their carbon footprint, optimization is the clear path forward.
In Gatineau, the Produits Kruger plant is in the heart of the city, so expansion isn't an option. What's more, the increasing energy demand from local buildings and institutions, such as Parliament, calls for rigorous community‑wide energy management. In short, to remain competitive and be a responsible corporate citizen, Produits Kruger must do as much, or even more, with less.
"Produits Kruger had already expressed its determination to optimize energy management at its Gatineau plant," explained Ricardo Comellas, account representative at Hydro‑Québec. "It's efforts to earn ISO 50001 certification, which centres on energy management systems, embodied its commitment to finding long‑term solutions. And that made it the perfect candidate for Hydro‑Québec's EMS Program."
A structured approach for maximum benefits
"Our goal wasn't just to consume less energy. We wanted to do it in a structured and sustainable way by getting the entire team on board," said Francis Fournier, Corporate Director, Green Technologies and Energy Efficiency.
Rather than taking an ad hoc approach with standalone investments, Kruger chose to radically transform its energy management practices. And it could count on strong support from Hydro‑Québec and its EMS program.
Aimed at businesses whose annual electricity bill exceeds $750,000, the EMS Program offers participants:
- Personalized support to install an energy management system tailored to their needs
- A detailed analysis of their electricity use to target the most cost‑effective actions
- Ongoing process optimization without major investments in new equipment
- Financial assistance covering up to 50% of eligible costs
Continuing optimization
With financial assistance from Hydro‑Québec, Kruger invested in an energy management system based on the ISO 50001 standard to formalize the plant's energy strategy. It even went one step further and implemented an energy management information system that delivers live consumption data, allowing for real‑time adjustments.
More specifically, the project involved:
- Installing sensors, transmitters and electricity meters to measure the plant's electricity consumption by use
- Programming dashboards to track the energy performance
The total investment? More than $500,000. To help Kruger recoup its costs faster, Hydro-Québec granted $125,000 in financial assistance to purchase and install the systems, as well as an additional $146,000 over five years for the energy savings.
Results that speak for themselves
Once the new systems were chosen, Kruger shifted into optimization mode. "We rolled everything out gradually, starting with the most energy‑intensive equipment," said Mario Goyette, superintendent of the thermal generating station. "Our goal was to achieve excellent results quickly by taking action where we could have the most impact."
The results of the transformation were immediate. The Gatineau plant achieved substantial energy and environmental gains, including:
- 5% reduction in total electricity use
- 4.5% reduction in annual natural gas use
- Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 1,850 tonnes
- Improved availability of energy consumption data so teams can respond quickly
Beyond the systems and technologies, the project yielded another key benefit: it mobilized the entire workforce. Kruger assembled an energy committee with representatives from all teams and level in the company to set clear goals and take concrete measures to improve the plant's energy performance.
"One of the project's greatest successes is the employees' engagement," Mario Goyette said. "Together, they developed dashboards and fully adopted them. Energy management isn't exclusively in the hands of a few experts anymore. It's now part of daily operations across the plant, from the shop floor to senior leadership."
Are you interested in reducing your energy costs while increasing productivity?
Follow Kruger’s example and implement an energy management system.
Start your project off on the right foot by getting support from Hydro‑Québec. Your account representative and our technical experts will help get you started by guiding you towards the most effective solutions.
Learn moreabout Electricity Management Systems Program
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