GILBERT, AZ - The first Arizona general contractor to put the high-efficiency HEPO Oil Bypass Systems on its fleet expects to reduce annual oil consumption by more than 66 percent, or 3,500 gallons, according to Eco-Edge, LLC.

Eco-Edge, LLC is installing the advanced filtration system on Gilbert-based Hunter Contracting Company vehicles and equipment including water trucks, motor graders, loaders, scrapers, cranes, excavators, transport trucks and other large commercial vehicles.

The HEPO Filter, produced by ECO MicroFilters, is a supplemental remote-mount oil filtration system which extends oil drain intervals up to three times longer than normal by filtering motor oil much better than standard filters can alone.

 Oil doesnt necessarily go bad as fast as we think, but it does get contaminated. By removing those contaminants, motor oil doesnt need to be changed as frequently, said Eco-Edge President and CEO Debra Johnson.

Johnson said that better oil filtration extends oil life, reduces waste oil, improves engine performance and reduces engine wear.  

Hunter Contracting, which specializes in heavy highway and industrial projects, estimates it also will reduce labor by 700 man-hours, saving a total of $50,000annually after the oil bypass system is installed.

Making this commitment now, at a time when our industry is so severely impacted by the economy, enables us to be as efficient as possible with both our financial and natural resources, said Allen Andrews, Senior Vice President of Hunter Contracting.  We also expect that this investment will pay significant dividends to the company over the long term based on cost savings, vehicle efficiency and lifespan, in addition to the impact using less oil will have on the environment.   

Eco-Edge matches fleets and industrial operations with innovative eco-efficient technologies that meet the companys rigorous testing and certification process to validate product performance and cost efficiency claims. APS, Arizonas largest utility company, named Eco-Edge its Sustainability Supplier of the Year.  The company was also recently a finalist for the 2010 Better Business Bureau Ethics Award.

Eco-efficiency is gaining increasing acceptance, in both concept and practical application, within the business community.  In Arizona, Hunter Contracting is taking a lead in this effort, Johnson said. 

For more information about Hunter Contracting, visit www.huntercontracting.com.

For more information about HEPO Oil Filters, visit www.hepofilters.com.  

For more information about Eco-Edge, visit www.ecoedgeco.com.