With the help of a $1.5 million grant from NYSERDA, the company now custom-designs and manufactures LED-based energy efficient lighting for illuminating retail store products, fast food menu boards and sign boxes. The new lighting is projected to save customers from 50% to 70% on their lighting costs, according to President/CEO Joseph Messa. "For every hour the fixtures we have produced are lit, our clients have saved over 10,000 kWh. That helps reduce carbon emissions by 7.6 tons per hour, which is tremendous since the majority of the fixtures we have produced are on 18 to 24 hours per day," said Messa. The company also works to make its products controllable, utilizing motion and daylight-sensors to reduce energy waste for customers with long hours of operation.
Furthermore, the expansion has launched the company into new energy-related ventures, including enhanced daylight harvesting and reactive power/power factor correction. In particular, Bridge Metal has signed an agreement with Echosun Energy, a neighboring startup that designs and produces deep well skylights. Bridge Metal will work in partnership with Echosun to commercialize an LED integrated skylight that senses the amount of light in the room provided by the sun and only turns on the electric lights when required. See http://www.echosunenergy.com/. More...
In Westchester's very own Mt. Vernon, the story of Bridge Metal Industries, LLC exemplifies the growth of a clean energy economy, a priority that New York has identified as a potential solution to both economic and environmental concerns. In 2007, The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) released a funding opportunity which aimed to support the growth of clean energy manufacturing in the state, including expansion of existing facilities to produce energy efficient end-use products. Bridge Metal, a financially secure but relatively traditional manufacturing company, took advantage of the opportunity to invest in a significant expansion and shift in operations, and now specializes in retail product display and illumination for retail stores using exceptionally efficient and durable light emitting diode (LED) technology. 
