Despite the slight reductions seen in more recent times, energy pricing is considerably inflated when compared to levels prior to the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine and, unsurprisingly, clearly remains high on the agenda for all UK businesses; often palpably so in the woodworking sector.
Operating high-speed drilling, cutting, planing and sanding machinery, as well as running equally high-powered fans to provide effective and continuous dust extraction, furniture and joinery manufacturers are often faced with eye-wateringly high electricity bills.
Jake Oldfield, however, a founding director of Extractly Ltd – one of the UK’s leading dust and fume extraction installers, and Master UK Distributor and Installer of the Ecogate® energy-saving system – maintains that Ecogate’s ‘extraction-on-demand’ technology has helped many companies in our industry survive this unwelcome assault on overheads by significantly reducing the cost of running the powerful fans that remove harmful dust and wood waste from our factories.
“Many companies that have invested in Ecogate® technology have recouped their capital outlay in under two years and, with energy bills typically slashed by at least 50%, those savings just continue to accumulate month in, month out; providing options for further future investment in new technology and machinery,” he says.
Reducing energy usage by such a significant margin can be a great boost for a company’s efforts towards net zero emissions targets, but with Extractly’s finance partner, Shire Leasing, woodworking businesses can now benefit from Ecogate® energy-saving technology without having to make the full upfront capital expenditure. “The cost can now be spread over a period of up to five years,” Jake explains, “with fixed monthly payments beginning only after the system has been installed, commissioned, and up and running.” To get a customised estimate of the potential savings Ecogate® technology could deliver for your business, just scan the QR code to make use of Ecogate’s new ‘Savings Calculator’.
Ecogate® technology has been making headlines in the UK for the past 15 years, but has been proven worldwide to significantly reduce energy usage for process industries. Extractly claims that cost savings in excess of 50% are “easily achievable” and, for the woodworking industry, reported data for dust and fume extraction shows that savings are averaging around 68%. With Ecogate® installed, extraction fans no longer need to run at full speed, all day, every day.
Since woodworking machines are constantly stopping and starting throughout the working day for loading and unloading operations and program and tool changes, for example, as well as at operator break times, a typical extraction installation is only actually required to operate at around 80% of its nominal maximum capacity. So, when extraction demand and fan speed are controlled with Ecogate®, that moderate 20% reduction in usage results in a huge 50% reduction in power consumption – that’s half price electricity!
Ecogate® equipment can be fitted into any new or existing extraction system, and the installation process can be undertaken with only minimal interruption to production schedules. Ecogate’s automatic dampers are connected into the ductwork serving each individual machine, and sensors attached to each machine signal the Ecogate® “greenBOX” controller to open and close the dampers as machines come on or offline. Simultaneously, the greenBOX instructs the PowerMASTER variable speed drive unit to adjust the speed of the extraction fan to exactly match the current demand for extraction.
An Ecogate® system can constantly monitor machine usage and recorded data then accessed from any location via any internet-connected device. The system can be configured to run cleaning programs to suit production schedules, and can even start up and shut down automatically – and, if required, send an email to confirm the operation.
The technology also ensures that minimum transport speeds are maintained through the system, to avoid any build-up of waste in the ductwork and, with the reduced fan speeds, noise is also reduced significantly; creating a workplace that is generally a much quieter, cleaner and more comfortable environment.
With Ecogate® and Shire Leasing’s Green Asset Finance* plans, Extractly proudly claims it's working to help companies save energy, reduce costs, protect cashflow, achieve sustainability goals, and now, through Shire Leasing’s partnership with Play It Green, a tree will be planted for every new installation they fund … simple, immediate action to make a difference to our environment.
01924 520462
[email protected] www.extractly.co.uk
*Actual energy savings will vary depending on your specific circumstances and cannot be guaranteed. Savings examples are for illustrative purposes only and do not form part of your finance agreement. Finance available for non-regulated business use customers only. Subject to status, eligibility, and credit criteria. Finance repayments are required in full, regardless of any savings achieved. Please seek independent advice if you are unsure about your options.
