Thirty-two companies representing the spectrum of the U.S. industrial sector have signed a voluntary pledge to reduce their energy intensity by 25 percent over the next decade, as a part of an expanded Save Energy Now program from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The signers have become the charter members of the Leader Program of Save Energy Now, a new component of the existing Save Energy Now initiative. Through the existing program, companies partner with DOE to conduct energy audits and assessments designed to identify opportunities for energy and cost savings in the companies' operations. Participating businesses also have access to tools and training to implement recommendations designed to help reduce their energy use and lower operating costs.

More than 2,000 plants received energy assessments through Save Energy Now from 2006 to 2009. To date, those assessments have identified opportunities for $1.3 billion in identified cost savings, 119 trillion BTU of natural gas savings, and 11.2 million metric tons of CO₂ savings.

The 32 charter members of the Leader Program agreed to establish energy use and energy intensity baselines, and develop an energy management plan over the next 12 months. According to the DOE, as indicated by the “Leader” designation, these companies will serve as role models and pace setters on an ongoing basis for others in the industrial sector. In return, the companies will receive access to select DOE resources.

The companies signing the pledge on December 2 included:

• 3M, St. Paul, Minn.
  
• AT&T, Dallas.
  
• BPM Inc., Peshtigo, Wis.
  
• Bridgestone, McMinnville, Tenn.
  
• Briggs & Stratton, Wauwatosa, Wis.
  
• Cummins Inc., Columbus, Ind.
  
• Danfoss, Baltimore.
  
• Didion Milling, Johnson Creek, Wis.
  
• Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich.
  
• Flambeau River Papers, Park Falls, Wis.
  
• Honeywell, Morristown, N.J.
  
• Ingersoll Rand/Trane, Piscataway, N.J.
  
• Intel, Santa Clara, Calif.
  
• JR Simplot, Boise, Idaho.
  
• Manitowoc Grey Iron Foundry, Manitowoc, Wis.
  
• Mohawk Industries, Dalton, Ga.
  
• Neenah Foundry, Neenah, Wis.
  
• Nissan North America, Smyrna, Tenn.
  
• Osram Sylvania, Danvers, Mass.
  
• Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio.
  
• PPG Industries, Pittsburgh.
  
• Quad/Graphics Inc., Sussex, Wis.
  
• Schneider Electric, Palatine, Ill.
• Serious Materials, Sunnyvale, Calif.
  
• Shaw Industries, Dalton, Ga.
  
• Sherwin-Williams - Richmond, Richmond, Ky.
  
• Spirax Sarco Inc., Blythewood, S.C.
  
• Thilmany Papers, Kaukauna, Wis.
  
• ThyssenKrupp - Waupaca, Waupaca, Wis.
  
• United Technologies Corp., Hartford, Ct.
  
• Verso Paper, Memphis, Tenn.
  
• Volvo Trucks Inc., Dublin, Va.