J&J Snack Foods has invested in capital improvements for years—enough to slash annual energy costs by an estimated $70,000. That success didn’t stop the producer of soft pretzels, pizza pockets and other filled dough products from participating in Energy Trust’s Strategic Energy Management initiative, which teaches employees the skills to find no- or low-cost operations and maintenance opportunities that deliver long-term savings. 

During the year-long training, J&J and a cohort of other Eastern Oregon businesses met regularly with Energy Trust coaches. They learned how to set up a facility-wide energy team, adopt an energy policy, identify and eliminate energy waste, and use tools to track success. When J&J employees spent a day going through their plant with Energy Trust experts, they discovered compressed air leaks and oven doors that needed new seals. “Improving the oven doors was a big win because it also keeps the plant more comfortable for employees,” said Richard Boyer, plant manager.  

J&J is just one of more than 300 businesses, public agencies and institutions that have participated in Strategic Energy Management to date, capturing dollars that they can redirect to their business or organization.

According to Boyer: “We set a goal to reduce electricity use by 5 percent. With Strategic Energy Management, we doubled that.”