Vacon NXS AC variable speed drives supplied and fitted by Digicon Solutions Limited*, based in UK, are delivering large energy savings at the Northampton plant of Levi Strauss, one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies.

1. Reference Story
levi strauss
− making jeans with less energy
to ensure the minimum possible impact on the environment
Vacon NXS AC variable speed drives supplied and fitted by Integrated EMC filters and chokes – no need for en-
Digicon Solutions Limited*, based in UK, are delivering large closure
energy savings at the Northampton plant of Levi Strauss, one
“Vacon NXS drives are ideal for this type of application,” says
of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies.
Karl Jones of Digicon, “especially in their IP54 versions. These
are completely self-contained with integrated EMC filters and
The Vacon AC drives were installed as part of a continuous im-
chokes, which means that they can simply be fixed to a conve-
provement programme at the site that supports Levi Strauss’
nient wall without the need to be fitted in an enclosure. That
commitment to ensuring that its operations always have the
saves a lot of time and money. In addition, these drives are
minimum possible impact on the environment.
compact, reliable and quiet in operation and, of course, they
offer excellent value for money.”
Retrofitted to fan coil units that form part of the site’s air
handling and chilled water systems, the new drives allow the
running speeds of the fans to be reduced by up to 10%, with- Fan output accurately maching demand
out in any way compromising the performance of the plant. At
“The new drives are really proving their worth,” says Keith
the present time, 12 Vacon NXS drives have been fitted on the
Jackson of Levi Strauss. “As is almost always the case, the
site, with ratings from 5.5 kW to 22 kW, and there are plans to
fans were designed to have some capacity to spare when run-
fit further drives of a similar size in the near future.
ning at full speed. Now we can reduce their running speed
so that their output accurately matches demand, and that is
Prior to the installation of the drives, Digicon carried out a tri-
allowing us to cut our energy bills and to reduce our carbon
al to verify the level of energy savings that would be achieved.
footprint. The drives will pay for themselves in a relatively
This involved equipping one fan with a drive, and monitoring
short period, and after that, they’ll just be saving us money.”
the before and after energy usage. The trial was carried out
at no cost to Levi Strauss.
The Vacon AC variable speed drives for this project were
supplied by Digicon within just two weeks of an order being
placed. The installation and commissioning of each drive took

2. less than a day and the work was carried out with minimal
disturbance to Levi Strauss’ operations.
*Digicon Solutions of Burbage, Hinckley, UK, provides con-
trols solutions for the industrial and commercial market.
Their speciality is in the area of variable speed drive products
and systems and in particular in energy saving solutions for
pumps, fans and compressors.
Vacon NXS AC variable speed drives are delivering large
energy savings at the Northampton plant of Levi Strauss,
one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel compa-
nies.
Vacon Drives UK Ltd.
18 Maizefield,
Hinckley Fields Industrial Estate Hinckley
Leicestershire, LE10 1YF, UK
RS000156A
Tel. +44 (0)1455 611 515
Fax. +44 (0)1455 611 517
E-mail: sales@vacon.co.uk
Web: http://www.vacon.co.uk