MANITOWOC, Wis. — Jan. 25, 2010 — Gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker on Monday applauded Orion Energy Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OESX) for its technology he said will help Wisconsin lead the way in climbing out of the worldwide recession.
“We’re all for green, but even more so when it saves green,” Walker said. “That’s how you make something sustainable. You can help us go a long, long way in helping Wisconsin be one of the leaders in getting out of this global recession.”
Walker visited Orion Energy Systems’ Manitowoc technology and manufacturing centers. Orion Executive Vice President Mike Potts gave Walker a private tour of the facilities.
Orion Energy Systems is a leading power technology enterprise that designs, manufactures and deploys energy management systems, consisting primarily of high-performance, energy-efficient lighting platforms, intelligent wireless control systems and direct renewable solar technology.
Monday’s visit marked Walker’s first to Orion Energy Systems.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on the Internet reading stories about what’s happening at Orion and I think it’s a great model for the future,” Walker said. “The ability to control energy costs has a phenomenally positive impact on manufacturers.”
Walker alluded to the $710 million in energy costs Orion has saved its customers since December 2001. “That’s real money. That’s not just something hypothetical,” he said.
In addition to the financial benefits of Orion’s technology, users decrease their energy consumption, reducing their carbon footprint. Since 2001, Orion customers have displaced more than 6.1 million tons of carbon dioxide, which is the air-scrubbing equivalent of a 1.6 million-acre forest, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
In addition to helping its customers reduce their carbon footprint and save money they can carry through to their bottom lines, Orion’s innovations have yielded 26 patents with 21 pending.
“At Orion, innovation is in our DNA,” said Orion CEO Neal Verfuerth. “We’re pleased our technology has helped so many companies improve the environment while reducing their energy costs, helping them realize free cash flow in this unstable economy.”
Walker was elected in 1993 to the Wisconsin Assembly. In 2002, Walker was elected as the Milwaukee County Executive.
At Orion, he talked briefly about why he’s running for governor, saying he’s ready to lead and make the difficult decisions required to help Wisconsin thrive in the future.
“I find that lately people care less about whether you’re republican or democrat, they care less about whether you stand on the right or the left, they care about whether you know what’s right and what’s wrong,” he said. “I believe there are great people, great employers, and great natural resources in this state and we have a lot of good things going for us.”
Orion Energy Systems Inc. (NYSE Amex: OESX) is a leading power technology enterprise that
designs, manufactures and implements energy management systems, consisting primarily of high-performance,
energy-efficient lighting systems, controls and related services for commercial and industrial customers
without compromising their quantity or quality of light. For more information, visit
www.oesx.com.
Follow us on
Twittter,
Facebook, and
YouTube.
Media Contact
Linda Diedrich
Vice President of Corporate Communications
920.482.1988
ljd@oes1.com
Sign up to receive information about the latest news and happenings at Orion.
