“We’re trying to help Ohio’s polymer companies improve their profitability and global competitiveness by reducing their energy costs and improving their sustainability efforts,” said Mark A. Di Lillo, president of PCX Energy Services, LLC, as he explained what his company does. “First of all, we look at a company’s business in terms of its envelope – its building and physical environment – and then in terms of its processes.” “Second, we are interested in finding ways that the company can be more profitable yet be  a good environmental steward  – meaning, that they save on energy costs in ways that are environmentally responsible and financially sensible.”

“All companies have to be responsible to their customers, employees, shareholders, and their community,” Di Lillo said.

“Energy is usually the third most costly item in a manufacturing company’s budget,” explained Di Lillo. “It follows closely behind materials and labor.” “So, if we are going to impact a company’s energy costs, we have the potential to really make a difference in profitability, and that gets everyone’s attention.”

PCX has a four-phased, managed risk approach when they engage with a company. This process is designed to have several gate reviews (go/no go), several points at which our customer can take the process, own it, and move forward on their own, if that is their desire, with several levels of potential help from PCX available. “You never want a consultant who works on an open-ended type of project,” says Di Lillo, who formerly operated his own polymer company and can speak from experience. “It gets too painful in the checkbook.”

“In working with a customer, our first phase of work is a walk-through energy assessment,” explained Di Lillo. “This effort, proposed for a small set fee, examines everything from the most recent two years of energy bills to processes that might be considered ‘energy hogs.’” Di Lillo commented that most other energy auditors look at the building and its energy bills, but not at the processes going on inside the building and how these processes contribute to current energy consumption. The deliverables for a Phase One Assessment include, a detailed report recommending energy conservation measures that can result in real savings and operational improvements along with a projected return on investment (ROI), a snapshot of the facility’s energy and sustainability profile, and it provides a suggested path forward for implementing each recommendation. The report becomes a roadmap for energy conservation and a blueprint for sustainability. The typical cost for a Phase One Assessment is pennies per square foot, and is predicated on whether the majority of the space is active manufacturing or warehouse/storage as well as the overall energy complexity or the processes employed.

If our customer chooses to have PCX implement specific items from our Phase One report, PCX will provide a Phase Two proposal for a set fee, which covers the deeper dive engineering, analytics and modeling for larger investment or more complex energy conservation measures.  The Phase Two also includes the development of bid packages, contractor proposals and our recommendations for customer review. 

Phase Three, for a set fee, includes implementing the suggestions from Phase One by managing and supervising the services outlined in the Phase Two proposal.  It also includes measurement and verification for all energy savings.

Finally, in a Phase Four engagement PCX comes back to our customer periodically, often annually to do a follow up  audit if appropriate, evaluate the implemented projects, review current energy procurement practices and make recommendations, provide support, and present other ideas that our customer  should consider for additional energy savings.  PCX can also act as our customer’s outsourced energy manager.

“Throughout any or all of the phases, we regularly look at benefits and incentives from local, state, and federal organizations or agencies,” said Di Lillo. “We also look at alternative energy methods or ways to procure energy at lower costs.” PCX has a good working relationship with North Shore Energy, a company that specializes in helping companies save money on electricity and natural gas. Reducing the procurement costs of energy is a perfect example of a “no cost” opportunity available to many companies.  

“For companies that are presently very aware of economic challenges, we can guarantee that PCX will find and suggest enough energy savings opportunities to pay the cost of their Phase One assessment at least ten times over,” Di Lillo commented. “We focus on low or no-cost opportunities that will cover our customer’s Phase One investment. And we can find them.”

Di Lillo’s experience comes from his own history of heading a polymer company. The PCX Team includes experienced engineers from both the polymer and energy industries.

The services of PCX Energy Services LLC are available at a discount to PolymerOhio members through the PASS program. For more information contact PolymerOhio at 614.776.5720 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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PCX Energy Services LLC helps companies connect real savings with their energy efficiency, sustainability and green initiatives. PCX brings together a dedicated team of professionals that can help a company or organization reduce environmental impacts, improve performance, and add value. PCX incorporates a four-phased approach with complete transparency in all aspects of project funding and fee structure.  Each phase is discrete and establishes a foundation upon which the next phase is undertaken.

PolymerOhio, Inc. is a polymer industry-specific Ohio Edison Technology Center, which is funded by the Ohio Department of Development.  PolymerOhio focuses on enhancing the global competitiveness of the polymer industry, including companies from the plastics, rubber, bioproducts, and advanced materials segments.