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As published in Toledo Business Journal - August 1, 2020
Maumee Assembly & Stamping (MAS), a family company located at 920 Illinois Avenue in Maumee, is nearing completion of its approximately $4.5 million phase one solar project, which includes a large solar panel array atop of the 800,000 square foot facility.
The company – owned by area entrepreneurs Stan and Kathryn Chlebowski who also own a number of other businesses headquartered in northwest Ohio – purchased the 76 acre site and plant in 2009, which at one point had been home to the former Ford Stamping operations.
Three years ago, the company used PACE financing through the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority to invest approximately $3.6 million in energy conservation measures for the facility. This included the de-commissioning of two inefficient gas boilers and replacing them with nine zone-controlled high-efficiency gas furnaces, doing a power factor correction to improve the power factor from 56% to 98%, with this work being done by U.S. Utility Contractors located in Perrysburg.
This investment also went towards replacing all the inside and outside lighting with LED, with the 1,700 light fixtures making an important difference in cost savings and a brighter work environment for the employees, noted Mr. Chlebowski. Key Cable and Supply, also based in Perrysburg, provided all the materials.
“The roof also had a major modification to add more insulation along with putting a reflective aluminum coating layer on top,” added Mr. Chlebowski. “This combination of all these projects has led to a better work environment, growing the employment base of the plant, and saved our energy – between the electric and between the gas bill – over $30,000 a month.”
Now, the owners have a focus on solar energy, which led to the current three-phase project.
“I’m in the solar business and I began putting figures together and it made sense,” stated Mr. Chlebowski. “Solar is hot today and the panels are made much better than in the past.”
Maumee Assembly & Stamping’s Illinois Avenue facility
The company’s investment into the green energy solar project will provide some of the energy needed for its operations. Mr. Chlebowski estimates that approximately 30% of its current energy bill at the plant will be saved and that the investment will be paid off within five-and-a-half to seven years. Additionally, the project used a Federal Solar Energy Tax Credit.
The panels, which come with a 25-year warranty, were supplied by First Solar’s Perrysburg American photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing plant. The first phase of the project involved panels being placed on the roof, and the second phase of the project involves a section of panels located at the back of the large plant and another positioned on the front side of the building.
“We’re making sure that we are using solar panels from a local company. I live in this area and I want to do as much business locally as I can,” Mr. Chlebowski emphasized.
Installation of the solar panels has been done by U.S. Utility Electrical Service – another company owned by the Chlebowskis. According to Mr. Chlebowski, his solar division has done many projects over the years in many states including North Carolina, Illinois, and Minnesota. The solar division is a turnkey operation that can fashion a program along with many financial options along with Federal Tax Credits for cities, schools, and municipalities, along with private businesses.
Phase three of the project, which is still in the development stage, involves working with Tesla to store its energy that it doesn’t use and feed to the grid. Mr. Chlebowski does not know the cost yet for phase three, but is working with several engineers at this point.
The MAS facility is a provider of blanked, stamped, welded, and assembled components along with spin form capabilities. It services a range of industries including components for vehicle manufacturing. The large operation in Maumee also leases warehouse space to commercial and industrial clients. The facility has both rail and truck access with two in-plant rail spurs and multiple truck wells.
According to the Chlebowskis, they have created close to 300 jobs for northwest Ohio since the Ford plant closed.
