When GKN Powder Metallurgy set out to cut energy use at its Pennsylvania plants, the path forward was anything but simple. Complete shutdowns of their massive sintering ovens risked damaging equipment and slowing output. That’s where PennTAP stepped in. Through a no-cost, data-driven assessment, PennTAP helped GKN uncover an innovative solution that not only protected their equipment, but surpassed corporate sustainability goals and delivered significant annual savings.

GKN Powder Metallurgy is a global manufacturer of powder-metal components used in automotive and industrial applications and operates facilities in St. Marys and DuBois. As part of a corporate initiative to reduce onsite energy use across its locations, plant managers were tasked with identifying strategies to significantly decrease electricity consumption—without compromising production needs or equipment integrity.

To support this goal, GKN partnered with PennTAP Technical Advisor Jenn Jones, who supports businesses in Central and Northcentral PA, conducted a no-cost Pollution Prevention/Energy Efficiency (P2/E2) assessment at the St. Marys facility with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 Pollution Prevention Grant Program. Her findings identified a major energy-saving opportunity.

GKN’s manufacturing process requires operating large sintering ovens—each running at approximately 2,050°F—which collectively account for a significant portion of a plant’s energy use. To reduce consumption, corporate leadership mandated that its facilities rotate the use of the ovens and shut down the ones not in use.

“Site personnel who experimented with the length of shutdowns shared that they required a minimum of two to three months to avoid frequent expansion and contraction as the ovens heat up and cool down, which risks damaging sensitive components, like ceramic belts, which cost up to $250,000 to replace,” Jones said. “They also noted the significant amount of time required to fully heat an oven, potentially slowing production.”

During the assessment, Jones and Penn State engineering faculty member Dr. Robert Voigt, evaluated energy metering data, equipment operation, and production patterns to determine a more viable solution: placing select sintering ovens into an energy‑saving idle-down mode rather than shutting them down completely.

Idle-down involves reducing temperature from 2,050°F to 1,500°F, reducing hydrogen and nitrogen flow, shutting down de-waxing burners, reducing belt speed, and locking oven doors to maintain stability (note that this process is specific to the make and model ovens used at GKN).

This method achieves multiple objectives: preserving equipment integrity, significantly lowering power consumption, and reducing the time to reheat the ovens for production.

Data-Driven Trials Demonstrate Significant Reductions

GKN first piloted the idle-down strategy on a sintering oven over a weekend period and then tested the strategy during production. The results showed dramatic improvements:

• Energy use dropped immediately after reducing temperature
• Stabilized consumption levels were 700 kWh lower per day compared to normal operation
• Restarting the unit required significantly less energy than a full shutdown and prevented unnecessary wear

Using these trial results, PennTAP projected annual savings of 766,500 kWh of electricity and $45,990 in energy costs.

Implementation Across Two Facilities Exceeds Expectations

After validating the approach, GKN implemented the idle-down strategy at both the St. Marys and Dubois plants. At St. Marys, two ovens are always idled; in DuBois, idling down is used with flexibility based on production demand.

Actual results exceeded initial projections. Annual Impact:

• 1,398,766 kWh of electricity saved over both facilities
• 925 metric tons of CO₂‑equivalent emissions eliminated
• $109,455 in annual energy cost savings
• No capital investment required

In addition to energy reductions, GKN reported that idle-down operation helps maintain equipment integrity, extend equipment life, and reduce maintenance-related downtime.

Technical Expertise Meets Sustainability Goals

Through PennTAP’s no-cost assessment and the expertise of Technical Advisor Jenn Jones, GKN identified a practical, cost-effective path to meet corporate sustainability goals while improving operational efficiency.

The idle-down strategy is now a proven component of GKN’s energy management program—supporting lower operating costs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and improved equipment reliability across both plants.

For information on PennTAP’s no-cost P2/E2 assessment and energy-savings strategies for your facility, complete our contact form here.