Golden Aluminum
Golden Aluminum is one of United Power’s largest customers, but they’re small when compared to their competition, which is what gives them their competitive edge. Starting with aluminum scrap and over 50 percent recycled materials, Golden Aluminum uses a patented process to create FDA approved coated aluminum sheeting that is used for food packaging. Golden’s coated aluminum sheets become cans and caps for a variety of national products including the SPAM® lid, Gallo Wine bottle caps, Coors® beer can tabs, Enfamil® baby formula containers and more.
Golden’s small mill size and continuous casting technology allows them to provide smaller quantities. One example that has served them well is custom colored tabs—like pink tabs to be sold during October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. When promotions only require small quantities, the larger aluminum mills won’t touch the order, but Golden Aluminum gladly fills these orders and a niche in the market.
Golden runs three shifts and operates seven days a week to keep the fires burning and the casters turning. They also use a significant amount of energy, so reliable power and a strong relationship with their electric cooperative is vital to keeping a profitable operation rolling.
“United Power’s employees are professional and innovative. Anytime we need help, they are there and look at the big picture to find long-term solutions to our energy challenges. Of all the utilities I’ve worked with, United Power is the first utility that truly cares—they really want us to save money and to help us be successful.” Leland Lorentzen, General Manager
Eagles’ Nest Early Learning Center
Eagle’s Nest is a non-profit childcare center serving families in Gilpin County. Their programs encourage active learning for approximately 55 children each day ranging from 8 weeks to 6 years of age. Eagle’s Nest staff has the expertise to run a top-notch facility, but what they didn’t have was enough space or hot water.
Five years ago, the organization started saving and planning for an addition that would allow them to expand, and run the laundry and the dishwasher simultaneously. When the board of directors decided it was time to build, they sought out local energy expert Radiance Renewable Energy Systems to make sure their new energy bills didn’t break the bank.
Radiance helped Eagle’s Nest secure financing for their energy upgrades, which included cash rebates from United Power on a solar hot water system installed by Custom Solar and a geothermal heat pump system. Eagle’s Nest also plans to take advantage of United Power rebates on solar photovoltaic panels, electric water heaters and commercial lighting upgrades in 2010.
“As a non-profit funded by donations, it’s important that we spend every penny very wisely. Thanks to United Power for providing rebates that helped us to off-set the cost of our recent energy efficiency upgrades. Now we can spend less of our donations on our energy bills and more of it on the kids.” Linda Brown, Executive Director
Varra Companies
Family-owned Varra Companies provides sand, gravel, and concrete to rebuild roads, bridges and sometimes, entire communities. In business since 1972, Varra Companies has a long résumé of high-profile projects including materials for Denver International and Stapleton Airports, concrete donations for the Columbine Memorial, bridge rebuilding after the Big Thompson flood, and various emergency road repairs along the Front Range. Reliable electric service and a direct ‘human’ contact at the utility are essential to operations at Varra Companies—especially when they have communities relying on them.
Electric supply also plays a central role in managing expenses at Varra. To save money on volatile fuel costs, Varra is extending a conveyor system at one of their gravel pits simply because the cost to move sand and gravel on electric conveyors is less expensive and more efficient than hauling the material with diesel-fueled trucks.
This gravel pit is one of the many Varra facilities that have been served by United Power since 1972. They also operate facilities served by other Colorado cooperatives and investor-owned utilities. Owner Jack Varra says there is a distinct difference between doing business with an investor-owned utility versus being a member of an electric cooperative.
"We own facilities served by both co-ops and investor-owned utilities. The service we’ve received from co-ops over the years has always been superior. Whenever we need United Power, they are there. It doesn’t matter what the issue is, or who we call." Jack Varra, Owner