Ripon Printers
Ripon, Wisconsin
Energy Efficiency — Lighting
$18,030 Grant
2006
Ripon Printers in Ripon, Wisconsin was founded in 1962 as a printing press for a local newspaper. The company grew over the years and today employs over 300 employees in a range of services from printing to bindery and distribution.
In 2006, the group wanted to reduce its energy costs by replacing the existing metal halide lights with more efficient fluorescent tubes throughout its 210,000 square foot facility.
Ripon Printers applied for and received an $18,030 grant from REAP. Project engineer Jeff Cottrell said of the application process, “It was a lot of paperwork, but well worth it,” adding that the grant “definitely helped us justify the project.”
The energy efficiency project, which cost a total of $72,000, was completed in June of 2007. Cottrell estimated a 15% reduction in energy use facility-wide. A side benefit was improved light quality.
The lighting efficiency upgrade is just one of the company’s initiatives toward environmental sustainability. As a member of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources “Green Tier” program, Ripon Printers seeks to lead in reducing its environmental impact throughout its operations.