07/06 16:16 Monterey Pasta Paints Roof to Rein in Energy Costs (Update1) By David Russell

Salinas, California, July 6 (Bloomberg) -- Monterey Pasta Co. is painting the roof of its factory white to save electricity as the pasta maker said fiscal second-quarter earnings trailed forecasts, partly because of higher energy costs.

The company is spending about $40,000 to paint the charcoal- colored roof of its Salinas, California, facility, which covers about an acre, Chief Financial Officer Steve Brinkman said. About 60 percent has been painted, which has lowered temperatures by as much as 10 degrees in those parts of the plant, Brinkman said.

Monterey Pasta sells its products, which include pasta sauces, pizzas and soups, under its namesake brand in more than 6,300 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Profit for the second quarter ended Sunday was 2 cents to 3 cents less than analysts' estimates of 8 cents to 9 cents, the Salinas-based company said. The company also cited higher cheese costs for the shortfall.

The shares of Monterey Pasta fell 78 cents, or 10 percent, to $7.02. They had risen 78 percent in the past year.

Monterey Pasta also fired about 10 employees, or 3 percent of its workforce of about 335 people, Brinkman said.

Personal Note: Which is better - building new plants to consume more fossil fuels to put more pressure on a dwindling natural resource or simple conservation? This is one thing that could be done in AZ but I almost never see it done and we do have a lot of flat roofs on commercial buildings here, particularly strip centers.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley1@netzero.net), July 06, 2001

Answers

Guess this really works. I was skeptical, but am becoming a believer.

-- Uncle Fred (dogboy45@bigfoot.com), July 06, 2001.