GREEN BAY, Wis., Jan. 16, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tufco Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:TFCO), a leader in providing diversified contract wet and dry wipes converting and printing, as well as wide web flexographic specialty printing services and business imaging products, today announced that it has received the Environmental Stewardship Award from Orion Energy Systems. The award was given to Tufco for their efforts in reducing energy consumption through the use of Orion's Compact Modular, high-intensity fluorescent lighting platform at their Ashwaubenon, WI manufacturing facility and the energy reduction is the environmental equivalent to saving 81,557 gallons of gas annually.
As a result of the lighting retrofit, Tufco Technologies, of Green Bay, Wis., is expected to cut its light-related electricity consumption by 53 percent. Orion's lighting system is expected to decrease the amount of kilowatt-hours Tufco Technologies uses for lighting from 1.3 million kWh to 617,760 kWh. The company replaced 450 high-intensity discharge light fixtures with Orion's energy-saving fluorescent fixtures.
Tufco Technologies will indirectly decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 9,036 tons over the lifecycle of Orion's fixtures. During that same period, Tufco Technologies will reduce 36 tons of sulfur dioxide and nearly 13 tons of nitrogen oxides, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The greenhouse gas emission reductions are the air-scrubbing equivalent of a 126-acre forest or removing 111 cars from the road, according to the EPA. The emission reductions also equate to saving 56,792 gallons of gasoline every year.
As if the environmental savings weren't enough, Tufco Technologies is expected to slash its light-related electricity costs by 53 percent, from $97,929 to $46,332 a year because of the reduced energy consumption.
The Orion patented, high-efficiency lighting cuts light-related energy consumption by 50 percent or more, while providing about 50 percent more light than traditional, high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures.
Tufco, headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has manufacturing operations in Wisconsin and North Carolina.
Information about the results reported herein, or copies of the Company's Quarterly Reports, may be obtained by calling the contact person listed below.
This press release, including the discussion of the Company's fiscal 2008 results in comparison to fiscal 2007 contains forward-looking statements regarding current expectations, risks and uncertainties for future periods. The actual results could differ materially from those discussed herein due to a variety of factors such as changes in customer demand for its products, cancellation of production agreements by significant customers including two Contract Manufacturing customers it depends upon for a significant portion of its business, its ability to renew its production agreements with one of these customers, the effects of the economy in general including the recent economic decline, material increases in the cost of base paper stock, competition in the Company's product areas, an inability of management to successfully reduce operating expenses including labor and waste costs in relation to net sales, the Company's ability to increase sales and earnings as a result of new projects, the Company's ability to successfully install new equipment on a timely basis, the Company's ability to produce new products, the Company's ability to continue to improve profitability, the Company's ability to successfully attract new customers through its sales initiatives and the Company's ability to improve the run rates for its products. Therefore, the financial data for the periods presented may not be indicative of the Company's future financial condition or results of operations. The Company assumes no responsibility to update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.