Energy & Environment

U.S. manufacturers are facing serious challenges in the areas of energy and environment. Fluctuating energy prices create incentives to better manage energy use. Companies are also taking a closer look at waste streams in regards to current and potential environmental regulations.

TechHelp has a strong history of helping Idaho companies become more efficient through advanced manufacturing practices such as Lean Manufacturing. The primary goal of Lean is to help companies identify and elimate "waste", that is, anything that is not of value to the customer. The process of indentifying waste in the context of Lean naturally lends itself to identifying energy and environmental wastes that can also reduce product and compliance costs. 

As practicioners and teachers of Lean Manufacturing, TechHelp Manufacturing Specialists are taking a more proactive role in identifying energy and environmental wastes.

Industrial Efficiency Alliance

The Industrial Efficiency Alliance helps Northwest industry gain a competitive advantage via the adoption of energy efficient business practices. The organization provides expert support, resources and services to give companies tools and training to make energy efficiency a core business value. In exchange, participants are asked to commit to a Continuous Energy Improvement Program, which has the potential to increase production capacity, improve equipment reliability, and reduce operating costs and energy use by 5% to 20%.

The Industrial Efficiency Alliance is a multi-year strategic effort of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (Alliance) - a nonprofit corporation that makes affordable, energy-efficient products and services available in the marketplace.

The Industrial Efficiency Alliance works to improve energy efficiency in two regional industries considered heavy energy users - the food processing and the pulp and paper industries. The Industrial Efficiency Alliance also works with companies that produce equipment and provide services for these industries and with the utilities that serve them.