Activity Achievements

In Japan and Spain, we newly installed solar panels on the roofs of our factories and consumed all the electricity generated at those sites. As a result, the initiative led to a reduction of 44 tons of CO₂ emissions in fiscal year 2024.

Carbon-neutral city gas reduces CO₂ emissions by offsetting the CO₂ generated throughout the lifecycle--from natural gas extraction to combustion--using CO₂ credits^*.
The Gifu Kita Plant has been supplied with this city gas by Toho Gas Co., Ltd. since March 2022. The CO₂ reduction effect for fiscal year 2024 amounted to 9,405 t-CO₂ per year. Since this city gas has not yet received formal certification, the CO₂ offset volume (Scope 1) is not included in our official calculations. However, we have adopted it as part of our commitment to contributing to a carbon-neutral society.

• CO₂ credits: Certificates issued by verification bodies that recognize CO₂ reduction achieved through environmental conservation projects around the world. These credits can be used to offset emissions generated during gas production and transportation.

Previously, air supply to the factory was controlled by operating four compressors based on unit count. With the introduction of the Smart Air System, the pressure is now controlled in real time according to actual air demand. In addition, boosters were installed for equipment requiring the highest pressure, enabling optimization of the compressor supply pressure. As a result, electricity consumption was reduced by 14.2% compared to the previous system.(Scope 2: 136 t-CO₂ reduction)

The factory previously managed indoor temperature using water-cooled air-conditioning units with a total of 78 exhaust fans, operated by simple on/off switching. This system was upgraded to inverter control. Four exhaust fans are now controlled by a single inverter, and all exhaust fans have been converted to inverter-controlled operation. As a result, the system's electricity consumption was reduced by approximately 30%. (Scope 2: 49 t-CO₂ reduction)

Processes using fossil fuels were mapped, and initiatives such as reducing fuel consumption and switching to alternative fuels were implemented. In the painting and drying processes, the aging boilers were replaced with the latest high-efficiency models, improving efficiency to approximately twice the previous level. In addition, waste heat of about 250°C from the drying furnaces was recovered through a heat exchanger and used to preheat the boiler feed water.Through these combined efforts, annual fuel consumption was reduced by approximately 27,702 m³ of natural gas and 15.6 tons of propane gas. (Scope 1: 162 t-CO₂ reduction, Scope 2: 520 t-CO₂ reduction)

Although approximately 10 years ago the factory converted about 1,500 lighting units to LED, we have now updated them again to high‑efficiency LED fixtures equipped with motion sensors to further reduce energy consumption. In addition, several aging air‑conditioning units--requiring replacement due to U.S. environmental refrigerant regulations--are being upgraded under a multi‑year plan, with three units replaced in fiscal year 2024. (Scope 2: 282 t‑CO₂ reduction)

The production schedule was changed from seven days a week to five days a week, allowing equipment such as machine tools, compressors, heating and cooling systems, and lighting to be shut down for two days each week. Although daily production line adjustments according to the production plan can be challenging, these efforts resulted in an annual reduction of 240,152 kWh of electricity.