Permalin Products is a privately held manufacturer and marketer of book cover, book spine and specialty paper materials for the publishing and printing industry.

In the fall of 2004, the company purchased an old Springfield, Massachusetts warehouse location to house the company’s manufacturing facility.  It was an exciting development for the company but also a challenge, particularly for Glen Sullivan, a twenty-year veteran of the company.

As facilities resource manager, Glen had the task of preparing the 140,000 square foot facility for the fast approaching heating season.  “The building had an old oil fired boiler that had not been properly operated and maintained while the building was vacant, and that led to all sorts of problems, including pipes damaged by freezing’, explained Glen.  “It was clear we needed a new heating system.  And we needed it fast.”

Glen called Vic DeAngelo, his Bay State Gas Account Representative and the process was set in motion for the installation of a new, state of the art, high-efficiency natural gas heating system.

‘Vic quickly assessed our needs and presented an excellent solution, the Bay State Gas, “Partners in Energy” Program.” said Glen.  As part of the program, Vic brought in RISE Engineering, a subcontractor to the “Partners In Energy” program.  RISE conducted a complete energy assessment of the facility, the cost being completely paid for by Bay State Gas.

The engineers came back with a comprehensive solution that included the S-Series Blow-Thru Space Heaters from Cambridge Engineering Inc. (see “New Technology” in this issue of Natural Gas Online).

The heating system, the installation costs, and even the installation of a new, energy efficient roof were eligible for a Bay State Gas, Partners in Energy Program rebate.  “The program was excellent.  We dramatically upgraded our facility while projecting significant energy cost savings over time for the company.  Vic and Bay State Gas helped us make a large investment in our facility that the company would be hard-pressed to do itself.

Because the Permalin facility was an open warehouse space that also contained four loading docks, the challenge was to efficiently heat the building ‘evenly’ even the dock areas.  The S-Series heaters were the right choice for the job.

These heaters provided the best solution, offering an astonishing 90% efficiency.  Plus, in contrast to other space heating options, the S-Series heaters draw fresh air from the outside.  This helps to keep the air inside the facility cleaner, a real plus for a manufacturing environment.  “The forced hot air design of the system also slightly pressurized the building, providing even heating throughout, especially in areas typically prone to being cold spots.” said Glen.

Not only was the system an excellent decision for Permalin Products, the service provided by Bay State Gas was, in Glen’s opinion, critical to the project’s success.  “We knew we needed the system shortly after we purchased the building mid-Fall.  By early winter, at the peak of the heating season, Permalin Products was enjoying efficient, state of the art heat.” said Glen.  “We are very happy to have chosen Bay Sate Gas and the Partner in Energy Program.  Where timing was everything, it was a good fit.”