- Development and Introduction of Low-Carbon Production Technologies and Daily Kaizen (Improvement) Activities
Development and Introduction of Low-Carbon Production Technologies and Daily Kaizen (Improvement) Activities
Development and introduction of low-carbon production technologies include the implementation of such technologies at the Takaoka Plant in FY2007. CO2 emissions were cut 15% by eliminating the use of drying ovens for primer coats of paint applied during the painting process.
Examples from the Painting Process
Daily kaizen activities included the continuation of steady energy-conservation activities with the participation of all employees. The objective is to employ the concepts of the Toyota Production System to use energy only when needed and only in the necessary amounts. Specific measures include comprehensive efforts to completely eliminate waste, inconsistencies and unreasonable requirements, such as reducing the standby power consumption of equipment when it is not being used for production.
At the Tsutsumi Plant, employees submit approximately 1,500 energy-saving proposals each year and, in conjunction with the effects of switching fuel from heavy oil to natural gas and introducing co-generation systems, CO2 emissions in the fiscal year ending March 2007 were slashed to about half the level of the fiscal year ending March 1991.
Energy Conservation Diagnosis