Sustainability Efforts Pay Big Dividends to Metrie for Dust Collection Upgrade
- David
- Nov 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 19
How a 70% utility company grant funded a complete system-wide dust collection retrofit and enhancement for Metrie, cutting peak energy demand by 25% with an Ecogate On-Demand Control System.
Summary
At its Ferndale, WA facility, Metrie added an Ecogate On-Demand Control to their three dust collectors to dramatically reduce energy consumption. An engineering study projected the installation of an on-demand system would generate savings of 1.6 million kWh per year. Based on these findings, Puget Sound Energy approved an incentive that covered 70% of the total system cost, which included resized ductwork to further optimize airflow.
Ecogate’s system included Smart Gates, workstation activity sensors controlled by a greenBOX Nxt controller, and multiple Power Master VFDs. The system dynamically adjusts fan speed and gate positions based on machine activity while maintaining safe conveying velocities.
Ecogate managed the installation. Industrial Resources handled the ductwork and gate installation, and Valley Plumbing & Electric completed the electrical integration. Metrie’s team reports strong early results and is open to showcasing the system to other manufacturers exploring energy efficiency.
The Client: A Leader in Wood Manufacturing
Metrie, Ferndale. The largest producer of hemlock mouldings in the world
Metrie is North America's premier manufacturer and supplier of solid wood and composite moulding. Their Ferndale, WA, facility, the world's largest producer of hemlock mouldings, operates as their flagship plant. As part of a corporate-wide sustainability mission, Metrie's leadership began investigating opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce the facility's significant energy consumption.
The Challenge: High Fixed Costs and an "All-or-Nothing" System
Metrie's investigation uncovered a critical finding: their three large dust collection fans (two 250 HP and one 200 HP) were the facility's biggest energy consumers, accounting for over 60% of the plant's total electricity use.
This high fixed cost was compounded by the facility's production schedule, which includes variable workstation use across two shifts. The fans, however, ran at full power during their operating hours, regardless of how many machines were actually cutting material.
New duct lines being installed at Metrie, Ferndale
An on-site engineering assessment by Ecogate determined that the existing duct systems had inadequate air velocities for an on-demand system. To achieve substantial energy savings, Metrie wouldn't just need a control system—they would need to resize all three main duct lines, a significant engineering and capital project.
The Solution: The Discovery at IWF of a Data-Driven Partnership
Metrie's journey began with a conversation with their utility company, Puget Sound Energy, and continued their due diligence at a national woodworking event.
"When we were at IWF in Atlanta, then we saw you guys (Ecogate) and some other vendors that were doing what you do. And that's when it kind of clicked a little more." — Matt Buys, Continuous Improvement Specialist, Metrie
Following this discovery, Metrie undertook a formal vetting process, developing a detailed "selection matrix" to grade prospective vendors.
Metrie ultimately selected Ecogate. The deciding factors were the system's scalability and its advanced, user-friendly technology.
"We felt at the end of the day, one of the biggest strengths that Ecogate had was the actual tech... the greenBOX Nxt controller and then the software that is associated with it was far superior to the other vendors." — Tom Soran, Director of Manufacturing, Metrie
A Landmark Utility Incentive
Ecogate conducted a detailed study, calculating potential savings of 1.6 million kWh per year. Metrie submitted this study to their utility provider, Puget Sound Energy (PSE).
The results were transformative: PSE approved the project and provided a cash incentive that covered 70% of the total system cost. This incentive included not only the Ecogate technology but also the full replacement of all three duct systems.
Cash incentive covered 70%
of the total capital expense
The System and Installation
Ecogate managed the entire turnkey project, coordinating with local contractors to replace some pieces of the ductwork and install the new system. The installation was performed primarily on weekends to minimize production interruptions.
The ultimate solution included:
An Ecogate On-Demand Control System managing all three systems.
A greenBOX Control Unit as the central "brain," monitoring all workstations in real time.
Three Power Master VFDs to precisely regulate fan speed based on actual demand.
Ecogate Smart Gates and Workstation Activity Sensors installed at every machine, ensuring air is drawn only from active workstations.
Dust Collector Interfaces installed close to the dust collectors to measure Fan Total Static Pressure, Filter Differential Pressure, Air Velocity, and Air Volume.
Ecogate System’s key components: greenBOX Nxt controller, Power Master VFDs, Dust Collector Interfaces, and Smart Gates
The Success: Immediate Savings and Operational Simplicity
Immediately after commissioning, Metrie's team saw a noticeable drop in electricity consumption. The system's performance was not just theoretical; it was instantly visible on their real-time trackers.
greenBOX Nxt displaying energy savings immediately after running the new system
Monitor Electricity Savings using the Ecogate greenBOX Dashboard
Data-Backed Results
While long-term data is still being gathered, the initial results are substantial:
25% Peak Demand Reduction: In the first few weeks of operation, Metrie's leadership observed a facility-wide peak demand reduction of approximately 25%.
Verified Savings: "We're not even two weeks in and we're already seeing in our real-time trackers, substantial, substantial savings that fall right in line with our business case." — Tom Soran, Director of Manufacturing, Metrie
greenBOX dashboard provides an overview of the system's operational status. It displays the status of active workstations, fan power consumption, and electricity savings. The fan power consumption is measured by the VFD, and transferred to the greenBOX via Modbus communication. Additionally, the dashboard monitors workstation utilization (as a percentage of total air volume), air volume surplus (the difference between measured and required air volume), measured air velocity in the main duct, and pressure readings for both the fan and filters.
A System That "Just Works"
Beyond the energy savings, the greatest success has been the system's full automation. Operators no longer need to remember to start fans or open/close manual blast gates.
"Having the automation there from each machine is... fantastic. Just being able, as an operator, to arrive at your machine, enable it... and automatically trigger the dust collection and start our ramp up is exactly what we were going for." — Caleb Boast, Engineering Project Manager, Metrie
Caleb Boast, Engineering Project Manager, Metrie
The greenBOX user interface (UI) was a key factor in the system's adoption. It provides clarity for all personnel, from engineering to the production floor.
"The software capability, the UI experience for the end user, is really solid... we have production managers and coordinators out on the floor that aren't necessarily technically savvy but can go up to your interface and understand what's going on." — Caleb Boast, Engineering Project Manager, Metrie
The team's satisfaction is clear. As Matt Buys, Metrie's Continuous Improvement Specialist, stated, "this is the creme de la creme of capital projects. It's going to deliver savings to the business and from a sustainability standpoint, reduce our footprint...."
greenBOX Unboxed - Desktop User Interface UI
The Future: A Flexible System Built for Growth
For Metrie, a key part of the selection process was finding a partner that could support its plans for future modification and growth. The team felt other solutions were too static, while Ecogate provided the flexibility they needed to manage the system themselves.
"We don't plan on staying exactly the same forever. The process of trying to rebalance every different line perfectly is what we didn't want. I feel confident that when we do make changes with your system... I'll be able to add gates [and] modify things... knowing that it's as simple as just rerunning the daisy chain... That's simpler than what the competition looked like." — Matt Buys, Continuous Improvement Specialist, Metrie
Turn Your Largest Energy Cost into a Controllable Asset
Metrie's success demonstrates how industrial ventilation can be transformed from a facility's largest fixed energy cost into a smart, efficient, and flexible asset. By providing suction only when and where it's needed, the Ecogate On-Demand Control System reduces energy consumption, lowers peak demand, and simplifies operations.
About Metrie’s Ferndale Facility
(Left to right: Matt Buys, Tom Soran, Caleb Bost, Nick Clift)
Metrie, with almost a century of experience, stands as North America's premier manufacturer and supplier of solid wood and composite moulding. They boast one of the continent's most extensive selections, featuring over 5,000 profiles, and produce more than 400 million lineal feet annually. Their diverse product range, crafted from materials like solid wood and Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF), is available at major retailers like Lowe's and your local lumberyard. Metrie operates seven production facilities across Canada and the U.S. and it is the largest producer of Hemlock mouldings in the world.
Inside Metrie’s Ferndale Facility | Premium Solid Wood & Hemlock Millwork
At their Ferndale, WA production facility, Metrie utilizes three large dust collection systems (two 250 HP and one 200 HP) to service their workstations. Observing that dust collection is only essential when material is actively being cut, and recognizing the variable workstation utilization across three shifts, Metrie identified an opportunity to reduce electricity consumption through an on-demand dust collection system. After conducting their own workstation utilization measurements using Vorne XL Data Loggers, Metrie sought quotations for on-demand systems. Following on-site engineering assessments and competitive bids, they selected Ecogate systems, the world's best-selling on-demand dust collection solution!
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