Sector: Manufacturing
Client: DS Smith Featherstone – Corrugated packaging production site
Challenge: Identify energy waste in plant operations and reduce operational costs
Solution: Real-time energy monitoring and actionable insight via Optimal’s platform
Impact: £15k annual savings in 6 weeks; 47% reduction in boiler standby costs
The Challenge
At their Featherstone site, DS Smith needed a clearer view of energy usage during production, particularly in areas like gas consumption for corrugators. The existing monitoring system lacked detailed reporting and made it difficult to pinpoint inefficiencies.
The goal was simple: understand what was really happening across the site – especially during non-productive periods – and take informed action to reduce energy waste, costs and carbon.
Our Approach
Optimal Monitoring was appointed to implement a flexible platform that used existing hardware where possible, with new sensors added where needed. The installation was designed to support DS Smith’s long-term energy strategy while delivering short-term value.
Coverage included electricity, gas, and water, as well as humidity and temperature monitoring for process control. Key features included:
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Live dashboards and clear, non-technical reporting
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Integration of production and non-energy data
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Alerts and exception reporting for out-of-hours use
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Displays to raise staff awareness and support action
The Outcome
Within just six weeks of going live, the Optimal platform identified a hidden cost: six hours of daily gas usage during standby mode on the corrugators, at £15/hour.
By adjusting plant settings and introducing a low-fire boiler mode, the team cut standby costs to £8/hour, delivering a 47% saving and reducing annual energy spend by £15.3k. The savings covered the full system cost almost immediately.
Key Learnings
- Early insights = fast ROI. Actionable data helped identify savings in weeks, not months.
- Simple changes, big impact. Engineering tweaks unlocked long-term gains.
- Built to scale. With electricity and water insights next, the system continues to offer untapped potential.
- Staff engagement matters. Visual dashboards and real-time feedback drove awareness and action across the site.