Air is money: How air leakage is leaving a hole in the pockets of manufacturers.

Here, Libby Peacock, compressed air expert at Rubix, explains why production facilities across the continent are costing manufacturers more than necessary, and what they can do to fix it.

Air leakage in manufacturing facilities is a common yet often overlooked issue that can result in significant financial losses and unnecessary environmental impact. When air escapes from compressed air systems, it reduces efficiency and increases energy consumption – leading to higher energy bills, increased maintenance costs and a shorter lifespan for machinery.

Moreover, the cumulative effect of undetected leaks can drain resources that could otherwise be invested in improving productivity.

Research from Rubix has found that air leaks are one of the biggest drains on energy efficiency. But, by addressing air leakage through regular maintenance, monitoring and enhanced sealing, businesses can save money, boost operational efficiency and improve environmental performance.

Air leaks in numbers

As Europe’s largest supplier of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul products and services, Rubix has conducted extensive research on the effect that air leakage in manufacturing can have on business revenue and overheads.

Through a combination of data – and its own experience – Rubix can confidently state that, in a typical manufacturing plant, compressors account for approximately 30 percent of the site’s total energy bill. Think about it: most plants are running multiple compressors to power production line machinery, and compressors are energy-hungry.

Having established that compressors are responsible for almost one third of your factory’s energy consumption, here’s the kicker: at any site, up to 30 percent of compressed air is lost to leakage and misuse. That’s a considerable factor in any total cost of ownership calculation.

Main impacts

Energy is a significant proportion of total overheads, but it isn’t cheap. In the UK, a paper by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero estimated that, on average, energy bills account for four percent of overheads in manufacturing. In a highly competitive sector where margins are often extremely tight, eliminating air leaks could therefore be a serious boost to profitability.

Beyond the financial cost is the environmental impact. While governments across Europe are investing in renewable energy, for now, the electricity we consume still comes with a carbon footprint. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that industry accounted for 14 percent of total UK emissions.

However, there are additional, hidden impacts of air leaks that are also worth considering. Safety is a watchword in manufacturing plants and air leaks can be dangerous, as compressed air can damage equipment or even cause serious injury to staff.

Operationally, air leaks can also result in system pressure drops, causing air tools and production lines to function less efficiently. This can lead to higher maintenance costs on machinery, tools and compressors – and can even impact their longevity. Some manufacturers might find themselves running more compressors and operating at a higher pressure than they truly need, to compensate for the lost air.

The Rubix solution

Once a problem has been identified, it must be quantified before the right steps can be taken to address it. For example, Rubix offers specialist air leak surveys, deploying our expert engineers with leading edge technology to conduct a comprehensive audit that will provide detail and data on leaks, energy loss, cost and CO₂e impact.

Rubix provides a clear and transparent approach to diagnosing and resolving air leakage issues and will agree on the scope of the survey before starting, ensuring full clarity on costs. These costs will vary depending on the size of the site and, compressors, and number of compressed air systems involved. The audit will be carried out by at least one engineer, with charges based on a per engineer, per day rate. Given that air leaks can result in substantial financial losses, many businesses find they recover the survey costs within the first month after completing the necessary repairs.

The outcome of the survey is recorded on Rubix’s dedicated platform, which enables its engineers to deliver survey results locally, providing centralised reporting across all sites and markets. The audit report contains information on each leak, including pictures, and details of the energy loss, cost and CO₂ impact on an annual basis.

The report will also recommend parts and actions required to fix any leaks. Should you choose to go ahead with the repairs, Rubix can provide an estimated repair cost payback period. As you would expect, parts are then sourced by the team as required and the repair work is completed for you. Engineers can then return to the site and re-run the audit to ensure the follow-on actions have delivered the expected benefits.

Many customers also choose to implement our condition monitoring solution, working closely with our reliability team to put the right systems in place. This ensures issues are identified early, allowing us to take action quickly and limit the impact on cost and environmental performance.

In addition, we can deliver REHAB workshops, which I developed personally to support customers in the effective management of compressed air systems. The training focuses on simple, low-cost modifications that improve performance and we tailor each session to the individual customer’s needs.

At Cereal Partners we demonstrated how turning down the pressure slightly did not negatively impact performance but did reduce their costs not only from energy savings but also from reducing wear and tear on machine parts. Just reducing pressure by 1 bar can lead to 10% energy savings. It’s so simple, costs nothing, and is highly effective.

Case study: Magna Exteriors

Magna Exteriors is a leading manufacturer of lightweight structural components for the automotive sector. The company, which manufactures products including exterior trim, fascia and liftgates, turned to Rubix for expert help on air leaks.

“One area that we knew needed addressing was air leaks,” said Paul Howard, Energy Improvement Co-Ordinator at Magna Exteriors. “We could actually hear them hissing. Air is one of the most expensive forms of energy. It’s free to breathe but is very expensive to compress and pressurise.”

Expert engineers from Rubix conducted a leak detection audit of Magna Exterior’s compressed air systems, analysing the machinery using ultrasonic technology and providing a detailed photographic report on any leakages found in the system. They also demonstrated the location, size and cost of each leak.

Magna’s maintenance crew were then able to use the report as a road map to address the leaks. Rubix also recommended the installation of low-cost flow meters to monitor and measure the air rate for ongoing, autonomous and preventative maintenance.

“They produced a fantastic, detailed report, including photos, details of the size and nature of the leak, plus the costs of that leak,” added Paul. “The report also included a list of the itemised parts required to prevent each leak, with full costings.

“Our technicians went around the plant using these reports and signed each off as they completed the work. What’s more, we did the same six months later – and every six months from then – and audited the results so we have proof of the success of this approach.”

Ultimately, the audit saved Magna Exteriors a third on the energy consumption of their compressors. This is because by eliminating leaks they no longer need three compressors in constant use – they can now meet all operational requirements with two full-time compressors and a backup.

In addition, they are benefiting from lower maintenance costs on compressors. Over the three years since Rubix conducted its survey and remedial work, they have saved more than £130,000.

“It has really improved our energy efficiency,” said Paul. “Plus, it was a very low-cost service that was refundable if we didn’t receive the equivalent in energy savings; of course, we easily did this.”

Find out more

Air leak surveys can cut unnecessary costs while supporting your sustainability objectives. To find out more about how a Rubix air leak survey could benefit your business, click here.