Over the years, OS Doors has experienced significant growth, leading to an increased demand for equipment and expanded factory floor space to accommodate their operations.

However, this expansion has also resulted in a substantial rise in energy consumption, which has become more costly as energy prices have surged in recent years. OS Doors are currently undergoing a green energy transition as part of their business strategy

Faced with a significant increase in energy bills, OS Doors recognised the need to better understand and manage their energy usage. In response, they reached out to the Smart Manufacturing Data Hub (SMDH) for support in analysing their energy consumption.

The goal was to identify opportunities to optimise energy efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure long-term sustainability in their operations. With SMDH's expertise, OS Doors aimed to develop strategic solutions to mitigate rising energy expenses and continue their growth trajectory in a cost-effective manner.

The Smart Manufacturing Data Hub, in collaboration with Energy Systems Catapult, developed an Energy Insights solution to help businesses optimise energy use. By analysing half-hourly energy data, shop floor schedules, and tariff costs, the solution identifies opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency.  

OS Doors provided a year of energy data (June 2023–June 2024) from a single electricity meter, along with shift patterns and tariffs. Key findings included:  

Energy Insights Dashboard Usage profile between 1st June 2023 - 30th June 2024

- Base Load: Averaged ~20 kWh daily, remaining consistent throughout the year. However, higher-than-expected weekend usage prompted further investigation into energy consumption during non-working hours. 

- Variable Load: Averaged 7%, slightly above SME benchmarks but below average after adjusting for shift patterns.  

- Seasonal Trends: Energy use peaked in November, reflecting increased demand before the holidays, and dropped during the Christmas shutdown in December. 

- Weekend Patterns: Weekend energy consumption sometimes matched Christmas shutdown levels but was often higher, potentially due to overtime work.  

Key Insights from the Energy Insights Dashboards:

- Daily Patterns: Monday–Thursday energy usage was steady. On Fridays, consumption dropped after morning shifts but rose later due to overtime. Weekend usage was lower but occasionally spiked on Saturdays and Sunday evenings, suggesting additional shifts.  

- Monthly Variations: November showed the highest variable energy use, while August had the lowest, likely due to staff holidays. December had the lowest overall energy usage, aligning with the Christmas shutdown.  

This solution has provided OS Doors with insights into their energy consumption during productive and non-productive time in the factory.  They now have a clear baseline in which to work from in terms of the potential energy consumption used during no-productive times and what savings can be made if they can consistently achieve this lowest number.

OS doors will use the insights as a baseline for their upcoming sustainability strategy and are looking at green energy and methods to reduce carbon emissions.

The strategy could involve adjusting staff schedules to have more employees work during off-peak tariff times, when energy costs are lower. It also includes evaluating whether the expenses of bringing staff in for overtime are justified by the potential savings in energy costs. This approach should help balance labour and energy expenses to optimise overall efficiency.

Recommendations:

- Investigate weekend energy use and reduce it to match the Christmas baseline.  

- Use the Energy Insights dashboard to track the effectiveness of behavioural and operational changes.  

These insights demonstrate how data analysis can guide energy efficiency improvements and cost-saving measures. OS Doors is already exploring strategies to optimise their energy use based on these findings.  

For more information: New Energy Insights for Manufacturing SMEs - at the Smart Manufacturing Community Resources