Piolax Success Story

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Automotive Supplier Enhances Sustainability with Cost Savings and Energy Reductions

Piolax, a leading metal and plastic manufacturer, designs, produces, and tests fasteners, fuel systems, and open/close parts for the automotive industry. Founded in Japan in 1939 with five employees, they have expanded over the years, establishing a location in Canton, Georgia in 1988.

They currently operate in nine countries with 2,883 employees, including 343 employees at their 279,000-square-foot manufacturing complex in Canton.

Committed to sustainability, they have developed environmental and sustainability policies and have achieved ISO 14001:2015 and ITAF 16949:2016 certifications.

Sandra Enisco conducting sustainability audit for Piolax

Situation

Since 2016, Piolax has engaged Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech on various projects, including assisting with their ISO 14001:2015 certification. In December 2024, Betty Wurzel, Piolax compliance coordinator, earned her certification for completing the Sustainability Cohort, led by Sandra Enciso, GaMEP energy and sustainability project manager. This year-long cohort assisted with developing and implementing prevention strategies that achieve cost savings and reduce environmental pollution through interactive education, implementation support, individual coaching, and technical assistance.

“When the cohort came along, it was natural for us to join because of our ongoing positive and productive relationship,” said Wurzel.

Solution

The Sustainability Cohort began with an energy assessment where participants identified the top 10 electricity- and gas-consuming equipment in their facilities. Wurzel assumed their 129 plastic injection machines consumed the most energy, but discovered their seven chillers used more after analyzing the data.

With guidance from GaMEP, they invested in energy consumption monitors that use sensors to measure and record electricity usage. This real-time data revealed their chillers working against each other, so they started slowly experimenting by raising the initial temperature of 50/55 degrees by five degrees on one set of chillers. When they reached the maximum temperature allowed and did not experience any issues, GaMEP helped them install a chiller sequencer that optimizes energy efficiency and performance.

Throughout the cohort, Wurzel continued identifying waste reduction opportunities, such as improper fan installation and gas burnoff during heat treatment. She engaged GaMEP to help find solutions, including reversing airflow and developing a safe filtration system that conserves heat and water.

“Listening to others in the cohort helped motivate us to pursue projects,” said Wurzel. “Hearing about their problems made us wonder if we had the same problems, and it gave us ideas we might not have considered otherwise, such as looking into an evaporation system to eliminate shipping our wastewater offsite.”

Kelly Grissom, GaMEP energy and sustainability project manager, also introduced them to the Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC) Implementation Grant, which helps manufacturers implement onsite assessment recommendations. In June 2023, Piolax initiated a solar project and one year later, installed their first solar array. The solar array produced 306 MWh, equating to offsetting 246.79 k of coal or planting 3.69 trees. Planning to install their second solar array, they applied for and received the grant, which they will begin installing in May 2025.

“It would have taken eight to 10 years for the solar arrays to pay for themselves,” said Wurzel. “With this grant, we anticipate a payback period of just four years.”

Results

Since participating in the Sustainability Cohort two years ago, Piolax has:

  • Discovered their chillers consumed a significant amount of their electricity
      • Invested less than $1,000 in six sensors and two energy consumption monitors
      • Adjusted their chiller temperatures, reducing more than 320,000 kW and saving more than $49,000 per year
  • Received a $300,000 ITAC Implementation Grant to help install a second solar array
      • Anticipate producing 545,600 KWA per year and saving $5,000 in electricity per month

As a result of participating in the Sustainability Cohort, Piolax has significantly reduced their energy consumption and operational costs, enhancing their sustainability efforts with continued investment in renewable energy.

Testimonial

“The Sustainability Cohort not only taught us about sustainability, but it also fostered a community for sharing concerns and ideas without judgment. It was enlightening, motivating, and worth the time investment. I couldn’t praise it enough and we couldn’t have asked for a better team.”

– Betty Wurzel, compliance coordinator