McCain Foods Plover receives energy efficiency grant

McCain Foods in Plover will be getting a significant grant from the Wisconsin governor's office in order to help increase energy efficiency at the plant.

Governor Doyle offered the company $1.1 million in grants from the federal stimulus package today. He says McCain is sharing in 55 million dollars in grant money designated towards green energy projects in the state. Doyle says offering it to manufacturing companies is just the best use for the money. “They improve their bottom line, improve the environment, and help keep money in the state.” He added that McCain Foods and other processing plants are helping the state keep ahead of the curve in the recession.

Plant manager Mark Schmaus says the funding will go towards three different projects. “We're going to reduce our natural gas production, reduce heat waste and increase heat recovery.” He says all of those efforts will not only reduce the amount of energy that McCain has to purchase, but make the company more competitive. “What it comes down to for us is cost per pound. How much does it cost for us to make food? That's what we're looking to reduce.”

The fund is a matching grant and will provide half of the estimated $2.2 million dollar cost for the upgrade project.