When Mercury Marine Inc. plant managers were told they would be held accountable for energy costs, it did more than send them running to put on sweaters and dial down office thermostats.

The Fond du Lac company is an energy-intensive machine that consumes $13 million a year of natural gas and electricity. Mercury learned that its operations managers were unaware of their energy costs because the utility bills were routinely paid by the corporate office.

"No one really understood how much their particular plant was spending on utilities. The accounts payable department paid the energy bills, and no one else thought twice about it," said Jerry Eaton, company central facilities manager.

Not anymore. Utility costs are now part of each Mercury plant's operating goals, just like productivity and material costs. To help keep track, the company installed power meters so that managers in every building know the natural gas and electricity usage.