Two men standing in front of machinery.
HARBEC, Inc.’s specialty plastics manufacturing facility has been certified to ISO 50001 and SEP 50001 since 2013. Photo: HARBEC, Inc.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes HARBEC Inc. of Ontario, NY, for its recertification to the Superior Energy Performance 50001TM (SEP 50001) program and additional Platinum-level achievements. Since its first certification in 2013, HARBEC has steadily improved its energy and carbon performance. Independent third-party audits confirmed that HARBEC improved its energy performance by 16.5% in 2013, 25.7% in 2016, and 17.6% in its latest recertification.

"SEP 50001 continues to sustain itself as more people see that it works—and saves money. The required third-party verification of our energy-management practices and results provides proof positive of our achievements," said Robert Bechtold, president of HARBEC.

DOE’s SEP 50001 program, managed by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, offers certification and elevated levels of recognition to facilities that achieve sustained excellence in energy management. To achieve SEP 50001, facilities implement an energy-management system aligned with the global International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001 standard and demonstrate improved energy performance. 
HARBEC, Inc. is a small manufacturer of precision components, assemblies, and solutions for applications in industries requiring tight tolerances, such as aerospace and medicine. The company’s 50,000-square-foot facility in Ontario, NY, is committed to sustainable manufacturing to benefit its customers, community, and current and future business. 

This company’s experience with SEP 50001 certification demonstrates that small businesses can achieve significant savings and performance benefits through SEP 50001. Effective energy management has helped the company add thousands of dollars to its bottom line each year. 

Managing energy is fundamental to a facility’s efforts to manage its climate impacts. HARBEC started by measuring its energy use and the resulting carbon emissions. The company now tracks the carbon embodied in every unique part that it produces. Having achieved water and carbon neutrality, HARBEC expects reach zero-waste by 2025.

Entities that exceed certification requirements in SEP 50001 can use a scorecard to achieve DOE recognition at the Silver, Gold, or Platinum level. An independent third party conducts an audit to verify achievements. With its latest recertification, HARBEC has achieved Platinum recognition—the highest level—for the third time.

HARBEC is also a DOE Better Plants partner, and has participated in DOE’s combined heat and power deployment program. Learn more about how SEP 50001 benefits HARBEC Inc.