THK's mid- and long-term goals for carbon neutrality
The world is facing the risks of climate change due to global warming and in response the THK Group has set medium and long term goals to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. (These goals were approved by the Board of Directors in August 2021.)
The entire THK Group will continue to work together to promote effective policies aimed at a climate neutral society.
Updates to these efforts will be published in an appropriate manner as necessary.
Medium-term goal
Reduce CO2 emissions to 50% of 2018 levels by 2030.
Scope: THK Japan and affiliates in Japan
Emissions 2018: 106,514 tons
Target emissions for 2030: 53,257 tons
Longterm goal
Achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. *
Scope: Entire THK Group
-
* Net zero emissions: achieving a balance between man-made CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions and removing them through carbon sinks such as forests. (Source: Ministry of Environment website)
Energy saving initiatives
Reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions
The entire THK Group is working on energy saving initiatives to reduce our energy consumption and prevent global warming. Our goal is defined by our energy consumption quota (energy consumption / added value). Our actual rate was 0.807 so we couldn't hit our goal of 0.549.
The CO2 emissions (absolute emissions) from our 12 production sites in Japan totaled 75,382 tons in 2020. To reduce energy consumption in our production facilities, we have also done the following:
-
Upgrade to LED lighting (due to the coronavirus, we were unable to achieve 100% LED lighting in our 12 Japanese production sites in 2020)
-
Installed or upgraded equipment for greater efficiency
-
Installed renewable energy equipment
-
Actively used existing plants for renewable energies
-
Implementation of various creative energy saving activities
-
Monitored our use of air conditioning and lighting
Please visit our homepage for details on our initiatives in the individual production facilities.
-
* The data cover the period from January to December.
Activities and results
Green Sales Initiatives
Sales departments in three of our distribution centers (Tokyo, Chubu and Yamaguchi); three of our factory centers (Yamagata, Kofu, and Mie); and other manufacturing facilities (INTECHS Mishima, INTECHS Sendai, THK NIIGATA, THK RHYTHM Hamamatsu, THK RHYTHM Inasa, THK RHYTHM Kyushu and NIPPON SLIDE) have done the following:
-
Reduction of CO2 emissions: shifting traffic (switching from trucks to rail or sea transport), consolidating transport trucks and improving transport efficiency
-
Reducing environmental impact: switching to environmentally friendly forklifts
-
Reduce waste: initiate a green distribution plan that includes the use of reusable containers and the reuse of packaging material
In 2020, 3,293 tons of CO2 were released through our transport activities, compared to 4,285 tons in 2019. Conversely, our energy consumption (ratio of energy consumption to freight transport in tonne-kilometers) rose by around 6.4%. , from 63.4 in 2019 to 67.4. Please visit our homepage for details on our initiatives in the individual production facilities.
-
* The data cover the period from January to December.
-
* Data collected from five manufacturing facilities in Japan (Yamagata, Kofu, Gifu, Mie, and Yamaguchi); three distribution centers (Tokyo, Chubu and Yamaguchi); and three factory centers (Yamagata, Kofu and Mie).
Adopting LED lighting
Due to the coronavirus, the original plans to switch to LED lighting at several production sites have been postponed. However, several plants carried out their lighting modernizations. The results are as follows.
Efforts at every manufacturing facility
Cofu plant
Update HVAC equipment
In August 2020, the technical building of the Kofu plant converted its HVAC system from a heating / cooling machine with heating oil bunker A to an electrical system. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 170 kWh and saved the equivalent of 184 kL of crude oil per year. In addition, between January and October 2020, the HVAC system for the thermostat chamber in plants 3 and 4 was converted from a heating oil system Bunker A to an electric one. This led to a reduction in energy consumption of 45.3 kL of crude oil per year.
Gifu plant
Use of small air conditioners
From May 2020, the plant's air conditioning system was converted from a chiller heater to a chiller system. Since the temperatures do not increase significantly during the transition season, the system was able to reduce both LNG consumption by 33.4 tons and electricity consumption by 165,877 kWh annually by limiting the air conditioning flow and supplying outside air.
Use of an inverter for the coolant pump of the absorption chiller
In September 2020, a system was set up that automatically sets the inverter frequency and controls the coolant flow based on the operating signal of the chiller for the heat source room of the production technology. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 94,710 kWh and saved the equivalent of 24.4 kL of crude oil per year.
My plant
Energy saving through consolidation of devices
In June 2020, the dismantling of the grinding area in Plant 4 enabled the Mie plant to consolidate the HVAC system and the power generation systems for lighting in the grinding plant building. As a result, it was possible to reduce the electricity consumption for the grinding area of Plant 4 by 77,820 kWh per year and the annual fuel consumption from the previous 20 kL to 0 kL of crude oil equivalent.
Update the compressors
In October 2020, the Schleiffabrik (specially) upgraded to use three 55 kW compressors, reducing the number of units. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 523 kWh and saved the equivalent of 133 kL of crude oil per year.
Yamaguchi plant
Renewable Energy Initiatives
For the safety of night workers, 57 fluorescent lights are used to illuminate the walkway between Factory 1 and Factory 7. In-house technicians who are certified for type 1 and type 2 electrical work installed solar panels there to generate and store electricity during the day and to reduce CO2 emissions.
The project was completed in March 2020 and has reduced annual electricity consumption by 6,720 kWh and energy consumption by the equivalent of 1.73 kL of crude oil per year. The panels are also capable of providing power as an emergency power source, making them an effective system for self-sufficient power as a BCP measure.
THK NIIGATA
Upgrade to inverter oil cooling units
In May 2020 THK NIIGATA upgraded to use two inverter oil cooling units in Plant 3 (for shaft groove grinders). This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 5,876 kWh and saved the equivalent of 1.5 kL of crude oil per year.
Repair of the waterproof film on the office roof
The waterproof sheeting on the roof of the general office space was showing its age and was peeling at the corners, creating a risk of leaks. Therefore, it was replaced with a new heat-insulating and waterproof material, with work on the project being completed in November 2020. As a result, the annual electricity consumption was reduced by 1,723 kWh and the equivalent of 0.4 kL of crude oil was saved per year.
THK RHYTHM Hamamatsu plant
Installing heat insulating covers
In February 2020, heat-insulating covers were attached to the 12 heaters of the injection molding machine in production area I (warehouse production lines) in order to reduce the heat they give off. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 11,340 kWh and saved the equivalent of 2.9 kL of crude oil per year.
Elimination of the centrally controlled compressor
In February 2020, a system with a Bebicon compressor (a portable compressor with 3.7 kW or smaller) was used at the Hamamatsu plant to supply air to the lines running over the weekend, in order to make the use of the centrally controlled compressor superfluous. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 1,542,564 kWh and saved the equivalent of 39.8 kL of crude oil per year.
LPG reduction
In order to reduce the fuel consumption for the steam boiler in the plastic tub washing area, the thermal insulation of the steam pipes of the washing machine was improved in February 2020. This reduced the annual LPG consumption by 240 m3.
THK MANUFACTURING OF CHINA (WUXI)
Control air conditioning with timers
Between July and September 2020, the air conditioning in the production and administration offices, the break rooms, the equipment maintenance office, the heat treatment inspection room, the porter and the office of the distribution center was switched to a timer to enable the times when the system was running to be controlled remotely. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 120,000 kWh.
DARK
Update HVAC equipment
TMA modernized seven HVAC systems on the roof of the Linkball factory in September 2020. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 61,486 kWh and saved the equivalent of 15.77 kL of crude oil per year.
Air pressure reduction
As of April 2020, the air pressure used in the linear guide and joint ball manufacturing facilities has been reduced from 100 psi to 95 psi. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 519,432 kWh and saved the equivalent of 133.19 kL of crude oil per year.
TRA Germany plant
Switchgear
During 2020, devices were installed to turn off switches for machines that were not in use at night or on weekends or holidays. This reduced the annual electricity consumption by 140,000 kWh and reduced CO2 emissions by 35 tons per year.
TRA CZECH PLANT
Forklift upgrade
In 2020, two diesel forklifts were replaced by lithium-ion battery-powered versions. This enabled them to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 16,200 kg.