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More than just printers, Waddington & Ledger have been trusted by brands to deliver stunning visual experiences since 1884. From their base in Elland, West Yorkshire with digital and litho capabilities as well as an in-house design agency – they can design, print, manufacture and install. Helping brands of all sizes to engage their consumers.
For more information visit their website: www.wlprint.co.uk
The compressed air system at Waddington & Ledger included four ageing compressors that were reaching a point where they would need costly overhauls and controller upgrades to continue to work reliably.
At this point the Waddington & Ledger team decided to assess their compressed air system in line with their future plans, looking at how they could improve efficiencies both with running costs and their environmental impact.
PPS were called in to carry out a compressed air energy audit and advise on a new compressed air specification to match their future needs.
The compressed air energy audit would assess their current energy usage and simulate what this could look like with an upgrade to modern compressed air equipment.
Data logging the existing system estimated the annual compressed air energy bill to be £65,898, based on £0.13 per kWh and including a CO2 emission cost of £1,970. The existing system used three fixed speed compressors and one variable speed drive compressor.
Following the data log, the PPS team ran a simulation to show what the compressed air energy bill might look like with an upgrade to a system using modern variable speed drive compressors.
Pleased with the results of the data log, Waddington & Ledger instructed PPS to carry out the upgrade.
PPS then completed the full installation of the new system with two Atlas Copco GA75LVSD+FF air compressors working as duty/standby. The installation included ductwork manufactured by PPS, ensuring the perfect fit.
Following completion Waddington & Ledger took out a seven-year service plan with PPS, giving them complete peace of mind and fixed servicing costs for the duration of the agreement. This plan also includes SMARTLINK Uptime air compressor monitoring giving them data at their fingertips.
Based on production in the 10-month period following the installation, Waddington & Ledger saved £19,944 on their compressed air energy bill – a 46% reduction for their compressed air energy bill.
These results come from data provided by Waddington & Ledger. They have their own electricity sub meter on their compressed air system. This has given them easy access to data that can verify the savings made with the compressed air system upgrade.
The new system has a duty/standby set up ensuring they will always have a reliable supply of compressed air.
By taking out a service plan they also further protect the reliability of their system. On average, customers with a compressor service plan in place enjoy 3.5% more production uptime than those without one.
With a seven-year service plan in place Waddington & Ledger have been able to fix their servicing costs. This helps them avoid price rises and makes budgeting easier.
Having SMARTLINK Uptime running on their machine gives them information at their fingertips. From a computer or mobile device they can access live data for their compressed air system.
“We have dealt with PPS for 25 years since they installed our original system, they have always been professional, quick to respond and helpful in maintaining our system.
“When we decided to investigate updating our system, they provided useful data on our existing and future possibilities. This data along with their advice was superb.
“The new system has met our expectations. I would always recommend PPS.”
John Gibson, Engineer – Waddington & Ledger Group
