New Balance

The Client

New Balance is one of the largest American-based sports footwear manufacturers. The company was founded in 1906 by William J. Riley in the Boston area. New Balance was a manufacturer of arch support inserts until 1960, when they designed and manufactured the first running sneaker with a ripple sole. They were also the first manufacturers of running sneakers in varying widths. Their innovations in sneaker design allowed them to become one of the largest U.S. shoe manufacturers.

With 98% of shoes in the U.S. being imported from overseas, New Balance still manufacturers 70% of their shoes domestically across five factories in Massachusetts and Maine, and they are still headquartered in Boston. “Made in America” is a trait that New Balance prides itself on. APM has been servicing New Balance’s facilities since 2011, ensuring they have lower energy costs which can help them maintain their domestic manufacturing processes.

The Steam System

The facility we would like to highlight on this case study is the one in Norridgewock, ME. This facility had been provisioned a few years ago with Orifice Traps. While in many applications, orifice traps can be the right choice, in this particular facility, they chose to replace their traps and contacted APM to see if we could help with the process of swapping orifice traps with mechanical ones.

APM can assist with one-time projects such as replacement of steam traps, or performing specific repairs or improvements on your steam system.

Delivering Consistent Results

The New Balance facility in Norridgewock decided to replace 72 their orifice traps for new mechanical steam traps. In the process, APM was requested to exercise and, when needed, repair every isolation valve, and check every strainer. As an independent steam system expert, we do not represent or distribute any specific steam trap manufacturer, so we were able to work with the New Balance team and provide them with their manufacturer of choice for their steam traps.

APM can assist with special project related to steam distribution and condensate return systems. If your facility needs a steam systems expert team to resolve a specific situation, we might be able to help. Please contact us for a quick consultation or to request a quote.