While Increasing Production
Brevard, NC – From its inception in 2004, SylvanSport has been dedicated to responsible manufacturing. By maintaining production in Western North Carolina, SylvanSport is able to provide jobs and contribute to the tax base of the local economy. Additionally, SylvanSport sources over 60% of all of it’s parts regionally and over 95% domestically.
SylvanSport extends its commitment to the environment as well. Through internal initiatives and grants provided by Duke Energy, the production facility has undergone a complete upgrade of its lighting and thermostat systems.
“The lighting requirements for a production facility are significant,” says Vice President of Operations, Patrick Kennedy. “In order for us to provide a safe working environment, maintain a high level of quality and produce our products efficiently, it all starts with a facility that is well lit.”
The original lighting system in the factory was the outdated T12 ballast with fluorescent tube bulbs. The entire factory has been upgraded to the more efficient T8 mounts & bulbs. The improvement of the T8 over the T12 can been seen in the Lumen’s per Watt (LPW) output, where the T12 is 78 LPW, the T8 outputs 90 LPW. This increase in LPW results in the same amount of light output for a lower amount of consumed electricity.
“After we improved our lighting system,” Kennedy adds, “we looked to other significant uses of electricity. The thermostat and air conditioning system was an obvious target.”
The temperature control system was upgraded to a Wi-Fi thermostat as part of Duke Energy’s EnergyWise Business Program. Not only is the thermostat programmable, it can also be controlled via tablet or smartphone, whether on location or remotely. As a participant in the EnergyWise Business Program, SylvanSport allows Duke Energy to determine high demand usage times and lower its central air conditioning system to reduce the strain on the energy grid.
The results of these initiatives and programs have had a beneficial impact on the levels of SylvanSport’s energy consumption. From 2014 to 2016, SylvanSport has experienced a 63% increase in production and during this same period of significant growth, in addition to the implementation of the more efficient energy systems, SylvanSport actually saw a decrease in energy consumption by 8%.
“The idea behind SylvanSport is to create products that enable people to get into and enjoy the outdoors”, says SylvanSport President and Founder, Tom Dempsey. “We have an obligation to manufacture as ethically and responsibly as we can. Whether it’s sourcing our products as close as possible or how we light our facility, it is all part of our environmental footprint.”