Working with Energy Trust of Oregon, the company has eliminated chemical waste from a key part of its production process at its Newberg, Ore., headquarters and has also increased energy efficiency significantly.
By Stan Goff, Senior Managing Editor
With support from nonprofit Energy Trust of Oregon, dental manufacturer A-dec has eliminated chemical waste from a key part of its production process and has also optimized its cleaning and drying systems to improve energy efficiency.
The energy efficiency has resulted in a 70% reduction in energy use—the equivalent of powering 43 homes annually—while cutting hundreds of thousands of dollars in waste disposal and energy costs.
Jordan Beanblossom, head of communications at A-dec and a member of the Dental Trade Alliance’s Sustainability Task Force, and Ashley Bartels, a senior marketing manager at Energy Trust of Oregon, answer questions in this article from Dentistry Today to share insights on these impactful developments.
Dentistry Today (DT): A-dec has eliminated chemical waste from a key part of its production process at its Newberg, Ore. headquarters. Please tell us how and why this came about. Why did the company decide this was important?
A-dec: One of A-dec’s core principles is “Conserve Resources,” so our teams are constantly evaluating how they can make improvements to how we manufacture our products that improves quality and efficiency while also reducing impact on the environment. In this case, the opportunity to significantly reduce chemical waste from our pre-treat process and decrease energy consumption, while maintaining the integrity of quality, illuminated the importance of pursuing this opportunity.
DT: By replacing its traditional metal pretreatment process with a safer, lower-energy solution, the company improved both performance and environmental outcomes. Please elaborate on this process.
A-dec: The new process for pre-treating metal parts before the powder coat paint application now uses zirconium oxide, a lower-temperature alternative to our previous process. Through rigorous testing and development, the team confirmed that zirconium oxide-coated components could withstand 20 years of wear and tear in a dental office. This new process saves an estimated 457,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—enough to power about 43 homes for a year—and saves 4,837 therms of natural gas and eliminates hazardous waste that would have previously required disposal. All of this equates to better environmental outcomes.
DT: Energy consumption is a big deal for both manufacturers and the planet. Explain how A-dec is taking measures to reduce its energy consumption.
A-dec: Our teams across the company are constantly looking at shifts they can make in daily habits and work area maintenance to decrease energy consumption. A-dec also has a Sustainability Committee that looks for opportunities holistically across the company to reduce our environmental footprint. A-dec also leans into our relationships with companies like Energy Trust of Oregon, as well as our utility provider, to look for significant opportunities we can address to reduce energy consumption.
Energy Trust: By changing their parts cleaning process to that of a lower temperature and making changes in their daily habits, A-dec is already lowering their energy use by a significant amount–and other manufacturers can make similar changes to save. For manufacturers, energy use adds up quickly—whether it’s from lighting, heating, air compressors, pumps, or refrigeration. It’s a major part of operating costs. However, making changes, like upgrading equipment or improving how systems are maintained and operated, can lead to big savings and cuts in energy use. In addition to the environmental benefits, these savings can then be reinvested back into the business, helping companies grow and stay competitive.
DT: Explain how A-dec and Energy Trust of Oregon work together in this process.
A-dec: Energy Trust’s involvement was key to this project’s success, providing technical assessments, energy modeling, and project scoping that helped A-dec scale this concept into a phased approach.
Energy Trust: Energy Trust began by helping A-dec get a clear picture of how much energy they could save by making a few targeted updates like turning off the lights and certain equipment when they’re not being used. After reviewing their existing energy use, we identified opportunities to cut back, starting with improvements to their parts cleaning process. The upgrade significantly reduced their electricity and natural gas use, while also making the space cooler and more comfortable for employees. That change alone helped A-dec reduce energy use in that part of their operations by 72%, saving the company about $39,000 a year on energy costs.
DT: Are there plans to implement other sustainability programs and are there opportunities for other companies to take advantage of some of these programs themselves? That is, can A-dec’s efforts help get others on board?
A-dec: We’re being very vocal about this particular project so that other companies can see how partnerships and support from Energy Trust can be a game-changer to making progress toward their sustainability challenges and opportunities.
Energy Trust: Absolutely. A-dec is a great example of how a dental manufacturer can lead the way by integrating energy efficiency into its operations. Their success shows that sustainability and high-quality manufacturing can go hand in hand. Energy Trust works with manufacturers and other businesses across Oregon and Southwest Washington to make energy-efficient upgrades more affordable and accessible; whether it’s replacing outdated equipment or improving systems, we’re here to help companies reduce energy use, cut costs, and improve their work environments. A-dec’s efforts can definitely inspire others to take that first step—and we’re ready to support them.
