Activities

Daifuku works to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming.

In fiscal 2006, though CO₂ emissions at the Shiga and Komaki Works increased 8% compared with fiscal 2003, in terms of unit rate for production the Company was able to reduce emissions by 43% compared with fiscal 2003, due to increased production and energy-saving activities in each unit.

In fiscal 2006, Daifuku collected data on the volume of CO₂ generated by the Company, which includes Kyushu Daifuku, Contec, and non-production bases. From this year forward, the Company will establish CO₂ reduction targets based on goals set in the Kyoto Protocol, which came into effect in February 2005.

Since 2000, the Shiga and Komaki Works have been working to monitor the traffic in product-shipment trucks, while centrally controlling consignment information, improving methods of transportation, and restructuring products, thereby saving cargo space in the trucks, in an effort to improve transport efficiency and, in turn, to reduce CO₂ emissions.

However, CO₂ emissions from this source rose 30% compared with the figure in fiscal 2003, due to increased production in fiscal 2006. Moreover, mileage increased by 30% too.

The Shiga Works is a Type 1 Designated Energy Management Factory, and as such is inspected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The Works cleared electricity and heat energy standards. In fiscal 2006, each unit of the Energy Task Force promoted various activities intended to boost energy conservation by measuring and reducing heat energy usage, and reviewing the energy management standards.

At the Komaki Works, air-conditioning is set to energy-saving mode (28 deg. C in summer, 20 deg. C in winter) in an effort to reduce city gas consumption. In addition, the Works has introduced hybrid vehicles to its fleet in fiscal 2005 with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Although fuel consumption in fiscal 2006 increased 21% at both Shiga and Komaki Works compared with the fiscal 2003 level, fuel consumption per unit of production dropped 32%, considerably clearing the reduction target of 10% of the fiscal 2003 level.

Daifuku is striving to use electricity efficiently in all aspects of its operations. The Shiga Works is a Type 1 Designated Energy Management Factory for electricity as well as heat energy. In addition to reducing the energy consumption of its manufacturing facilities, Daifuku has installed energy-saving lighting fixtures and sensor-controlled illumination in the Shiga Works' office spaces. The conversion of lighting at the Komaki Works to inverter-controlled fixtures has been underway since the previous fiscal year. In addition, non-production bases at Headquarters and other offices have optimized climate-control temperatures in non-manufacturing spaces and are diligently working to ensure that lights not being used are switched off.

Although electricity consumption in fiscal 2006 increased 15% at both the Shiga and Komaki Works compared with the fiscal 2003 level, electricity consumption per unit of production dropped 35%, substantially clearing the reduction target of 10% from the fiscal 2003 level.