UGI Rebate Fuels Business Growth, Expands Sustainable Manufacturing at Quaker Color

Manufacturing the resins, pigments, and specialty coatings found in everything from leather automotive interiors to building materials and consumer packaging requires one critical ingredient: thermal energy.

At its Quakertown headquarters, Quaker Color relies on steam to power its manufacturing processes. To ensure reliable, year-round production while advancing its sustainability goals, the company recently installed a state-of-the-art Solar Combined Heat & Power (CHP) system.

The system integrates on-site solar panels with a 1.1-megawatt natural gas–fueled generator to provide continuous, efficient energy across the company’s 200,000-square-foot campus, including research and development, manufacturing, and office operations.

Electricity generated from the system offsets nearly the entire campus electrical demand, with excess power dispatched to the local utility, Quakertown Borough.

The project also received a $250,000 Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) rebate from UGI Utilities, helping improve the project’s economic viability.

“UGI is committed to helping our customers operate as efficiently as possible,” said Michael Schilthuis, UGI Manager of Energy Efficiency & Conservation. “Quaker Color needed this upgrade to support the manufacturing demands of its growing business, and UGI is proud to help make that possible.”

Bob Ashton, Quaker Color Quality Director and Project Manager, added, “There has been tremendous positive feedback and inquiry from our global customer base regarding how the Solar CHP system supports Quaker Color’s sustainability strategy and resource management initiatives. We’ve received strong interest and praise for reducing our carbon footprint and energy dependence—while simultaneously providing reliable factory power and effectively generating free steam through heat recovery.”

Quaker Color continues to evaluate additional energy-saving initiatives, many of which may qualify for future UGI rebate programs—further strengthening a partnership focused on efficiency, sustainability, and smart growth.

For more information on UGI’s gas and electric rebates for homes and businesses, go to https://www.ugi.com/rebatesavailable.