volume 19 - issue 2 - Finn-Power International, Inc.

CUSTOMER PROFILE
The Future Looks
Bright at Orion
Energy Systems
What started as a small agricultural lighting
company in Plymouth, WI, has evolved into a
leader in energy-efficiency technology for the
industrial and commercial lighting industry.
Orion Energy Systems was founded in 1996 by Neal
Verfuerth with a focus in agricultural lighting sales and
compact fluorescent technology. Today, the company has
235 employees in a 266,000-square-foot facility in
Manitowoc, WI. To stress the impact its products have on
the environment, Orion management chose this past Earth
Day, April 22, to formally open a 70,000-square-foot
technology center. This new facility will serve as Orion’s
headquarters and operations center as well as a national
destination for educational institutions and businesses to
learn about energy efficiency.
In its early years, Orion used contract manufacturers
for all its sheet metal fabrication production for its small
product line. By the early 2000’s, the company began to
develop its diverse line of energy-efficient products that
provided an alternative to the inefficient, old technology,
high-intensity discharge fixtures. A broad range of creative
designs expanded use to a wide variety of applications:
■ High-intensity fluorescent fixtures – Orion literature
states that its innovative line of high-intensity,
fluorescent fixtures provide the most light possible for
the least amount of energy input. Proprietary
attributes, like aluminum frame side and front
ventilation and patented roll-formed reflector, optimize
the way heat is conducted and radiated, and the way
light is harvested.
■ Apollo Light Pipe ® – The Apollo Light Pipe utilizes the
lowest cost light available – the sun. Apollo can reduce
energy costs for lighting to zero for significant portions
of the day. Daylight is harvested through the dome and
travels through the sealed light pipe, allowing focused
daylight to enter the building. The Apollo Light Pipe is
designed to be a one-for-one daytime replacement of a
typical electrical lighting fixture. When used with
Orion’s InterLite controls and high-efficient lighting
systems, a company can easily measure and manage its
energy usage and immediately improve its bottom line.
Impressive Growth &
Increased Production Demands
Orion has installed its energy management systems in 4,796
facilities in North America, including 119 customers listed
in the Fortune 500. Since 2001, Orion technology has
displaced more than 460 megawatts, saving customers more
than $642-million and reducing indirect carbon dioxide
emissions by 5.6 million tons.
With this increased demand for its product came
increased pressures for just-in-time manufacturing, and
utilizing job shops for its sheet metal fabrication was no
longer a viable option for Orion management.
Ron Ernst, vice president manufacturing, (right) and Troy Johnson, business unit manager, display alarge
lighting fixture fabricated on the C5 Compact Express and formed on the E Series robotic press brake.
The C5 Express adds unmanned operation to the C5 turret punch press through highly compact
load/unload automation. The unit’s loading/unloading solution utilizes the space above and below
the machine, requiring only slightly more space than a turret punch press.
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