urrent by GE reported that its partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) for LED adoption in the company’s US-based plants and dealerships is driving down lighting energy costs by more than 50 percent.

According to Current, the largest impact to-date has come from 18 FCA US manufacturing sites where 20,000 of Current’s Albeo* luminaires are now improving energy efficiency, with an additional 5,000 indoor and outdoor fixtures installed at 33 dealerships.

The automaker’s 5 million square foot Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Michigan is one of the largest automotive plants in the U.S. with the technologically advanced manufacturing equipment. Current by GE created special anti-glare lenses and extended power supply solutions to address the scope and size of the plant.

(Image: Current by GE)

The automotive industry has been an early adopter of intelligent environments, investing around US$4.5 billion on smart infrastructure over the last five years. The automaker’s move to advanced LED solutions with wireless control capabilities addresses a need for real-time energy consumption data and flexibility. The company also pointed to the impact on employee satisfaction, productivity, maintenance savings and safety improvements.

“The commitment FCA US has made to sustainability at its manufacturing sites, dealerships and throughout its supply chain is absolutely industry leading,” said Rudy Calderon, Current by GE General Manager of Industrial. “Looking to the future, this LED infrastructure can serve as a digital foundation for task tuning, enhanced employee safety and business productivity.”

“From digital energy management systems that track real-time consumption data and allow for plant-level analysis, to applications that could help with common industrial tasks like maintenance productivity and inventory management, companies like FCA are investing in flexible technology today that will help future-proof their operations tomorrow,” added Calderon.