Hanover, July 2007. Systematic product and technical training programs are being employed by ContiTech Vibration Control to strengthen the skills of its North American partners Argus Industries in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and The Rubber Group in Somersworth, New Hampshire, U.S.A. “We’re linked to both dealers via a strategic partnership, and we intend to develop and enhance the capacity of that partnership by providing effective training”, explains Frank Dahmen, Industrial Segment Sales Manager at ContiTech Vibration Control.

During the first half of 2007, regional sales managers at the respective locations of the partner companies were instructed in the theory and basics of vibration control technology. In addition, they were given specific training on how to choose the best solution from the wide selection of MEGI ® and SCHWINGMETALL ® brand products, and how to optimally use their diverse application possibilities.

Systematic product and technical training programs are being employed by ContiTech Vibration Control to strengthen the skills of its North American partners Argus Industries in Canada and The Rubber Group in the U.S.A.

Photo: ContiTech

Being an environmentalist can be rewarding.

In the case of Rubber Group Inc., the payback has come on the bottom line.

Like most companies in the industry, the manufacturer of custom rubber molded products was taking a financial beating as energy and raw material costs skyrocketed the last two years. The problem was compounded by the fact the firm competes with lower-cost molders in some southern U.S. states, Asia and Mexico.

On the plus side, Rubber Group is a lean manufacturing company and ``we've done a good job with that throughout the plant,'' said President Rob Pruyn.

But overhead costs still remained higher than he felt they should be, and Rubber Group needed to find ways to reduce expenses to stay competitive.

With a good deal of input from employees, the company began scrutinizing overall costs. ``Energy was one of our largest expenditures,'' Pruyn said. ``We began working on that over a long period of time.''

At the firm's weekly planning meetings, employees suggested numerous ways to trim overhead costs. With some assistance from Rubber Group's utility-Public Service of New Hampshire-it implemented several cost-saving initiatives under the direction of Production Manager Cary Atkinson.

The result: Individual heat controls were installed in each room in the firm's 26,500-sq.-ft. plant in Somersworth; new equipment was purchased, replacing old, energy-consuming machinery; lights and heat are turned off at night; energy-efficient lights were purchased; windows are opened in the morning during the summer and air conditioning is not used until it becomes too hot; and thermal blankets are used to insulate molding areas were purchased.

Rubber Group also replaced a water-cooled compressor with a smaller air compressor, which reduced the firm's water use and its bill.

Then the company made its biggest cost-saving move, switching to a four-day workweek from five days, which meant the factory remained open 22 hours a day rather than 17 hours, with employees working 10-hour shifts. The facility is closed three days each week.

``That was very helpful,'' Pruyn said. ``From a startup and shut-down standpoint it makes more sense. Our presses use a lot of energy when they're first turned on so it's more cost-efficient to leave the presses on 24 hours a day, four days a week rather than turning them on and off five days a week.''

The machines are shut down completely the remaining three days.

He said the firm's 26 employees love the four-day week schedule, which allows them to complete their work and still get a three-day weekend. When the company completed its initial list of changes, Rubber Group's collective energy consumption was reduced by 49,200 kilowatts per hour and water consumption dropped by 313,366 gallons per quarter.

Pruyn estimated the savings are more than $43,700 on energy costs and about $2,700 on water bills yearly. It required some creativity and planning, he said, but the results were well worth the effort-about a 45-percent reduction in the plant's energy use.

``We're still working to save more money,'' he said. ``We're continuing to make improvements on some presses and in other areas.''

Rubber Group's cost-savings program earned it the New Hampshire Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention for eliminating or reducing waste at the source. A panel of judges-including consultants and specialists from the government, non-profit, and academic sectors-made the selection.

The molder makes a variety of goods, including medical/health care sterilization tray mats; transportation suspension mounts; rubber grommets, bumpers, tubing and cord; O-rings; process control and gas regulator seals; and various industrial parts.

SOMERSWORTH — "Being environmentally responsible is not necessarily bad business," says Rob Pruyn, the president of Rubber Group, a Somersworth-based small business that was one of the two winners of this year's Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention.

Rubber Group, located at 15 Centre Road, eliminated hazardous waste from the manufacturing process and reduced its energy consumption by 45 percent (or 49,200 kilowatts per hour per month) and its water consumption by 90 percent (or 313,366 gallons of water per quarter).

As a result of these changes, Rubber Group expects to save $43,746 on energy bills and $2,684 on water bills per year.

The firm has 20-25 employees.

Rubber Group specializes in changing rubber into different shapes, creating items like trays for the sterilization of medical instruments, automobile and aircraft parts, suspension parts for passenger rail cars and more. The company competes with rubber molders that are based in Asia, Mexico, and the Southern United States - all places where salaries are lower than in New Hampshire. Because of this, Pruyn explained, Rubber Group needed to innovate to stay competitive.