When Wawa, Inc. was searching for visually appealing, simple-to-install
vertical refrigerated display lighting, it discovered an all-inclusive
answer in Immersion™ RV30 LED technology from GE Lighting. In addition,
GE helped the operator of more than 600 convenience store/gas station
locations drive down energy consumption. As a result, Wawa now enjoys
combined energy and maintenance savings exceeding $1 million a year.
With the help of GE Lighting distributor Facility Solutions Group (FSG), Wawa installed 4,000K Immersion LED lighting in refrigerated cooler and freezer cases in its remaining 590 locations. (Photo: GE)
“In 2006 we saw our utility budget increasing between 12 and 15 percent
over each of the previous five years,” explains Scott Boorse, energy and
petroleum operations manager for Wawa. “In response we created an energy
group to determine where the money was going. It turned out lighting
accounted for 30 percent of our electric usage.”
Wawa tested and evaluated three competitive LED solutions in
refrigerated coolers in several of its stores beginning in 2008.
Offering significant energy savings, high-quality uniform light, a long
reliable service life and faster installation, GE’s Immersion RV30 LED
emerged as the clear winner following Wawa’s thorough assessment.
“Not only did Immersion give us the best visual appearance to meet our
brand image, we’ve also seen an immense electricity savings and shear
drop in maintenance,” Boorse added. “What’s most important is that when
customers walk in there are no bulbs burnt out in the refrigerated
cases. That consistent well-lit image is giving us better brand quality
throughout our chain.”
Annual cost savings equated to $1.2 million across Wawa’s entire
600-store chain. Ultimately, the company will experience project payback
after only 26 to 28 months.
View the full release in the GE
pressroom.
About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to
develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light
their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential
settings. The business employs over 17,000 people in more than 100
countries, and sells products under the Reveal® and Energy
Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion ™,
Infusion ™, Lumination™ and Tetra® commercial
brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on
things that matter to build a world that works better. For more
information, visit www.gelighting.com.
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