Basic Concept
The Nisshinbo Group's Business Conduct Guidelines include Awareness and Concern towards its environmental impact. The Group provides energy conservation technologies, products, and services, as well as its own energy conservation measures, and faithfully realizes a secure and safe society for all people.
【Main measures】
- ① Promoting activities to curb energy consumption through ISO 14001 activities
- ② Selecting environmentally friendly equipment when renewing equipment and continuously implementing energy conservation measures through improvement activities
- ③ Systematic use of LEDs for lighting
- ④ Pursuit of the introduction of energy conservation equipment in new buildings and warehouses and the reduction of energy consumed by air conditioning
Please refer to "Promotion System" in "Environmental Management" for the promotion system.
Specific Initiatives of The Nisshinbo Group
6th Sustainability Promotion Plan (to be achieved by FY2027)
Reduction of the energy consumption per unit of sales: Reduce by 30% or more compared to FY2014
The Nisshinbo Group has established the 6th Three-Year Environmental Goals (6th Sustainability Promotion Plan) with the fiscal year ending FY2027 as the target year, setting the promotion of environmental management as a priority activity and establishing the above KPIs to promote Reduction of the energy consumption per unit of sales.
For FY2025, energy consumption per unit of sales was reduced by 42% compared to FY2014, which means the Nisshinbo Group already achieved its FY2027 target. Energy conservation efforts have progressed through such initiatives as upgrading to energy-efficient equipment and switching to LED lighting. The Nisshinbo Group will continue to actively pursue energy-saving initiatives.
Please refer to "Environmental Management" for details regarding of the "3-Year Environmental Targets."
Please refer to "Sustainability Promotion Plan and KPIs" for details regarding of the "Sustainability Promotion Plan."
Energy Use by Type of Fuel
The Nisshinbo Group's energy usage in FY2025 amounted to 6.26 million GJ, down 2% year-on-year (YoY). Energy usage per unit of sales was 12.47 GJ/million yen, down 4% YoY. This was primarily due to the smooth implementation of energy-saving measures across all business segments, as well as the reduced production in the Textiles business and the withdrawal from the nonwoven fabrics segment within that business.
By type of fuel used, electricity accounted for 85% of the total, and gas accounted for 8%.
Trends in the Amount of Energy Consumed and the Amount of Energy Consumed per Unit of Sales
*1 Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (the "Company") excluded TMD Group, which was a consolidated subsidiary, from the scope of consolidation, due to its transfer, which took place on November 30, 2023. As a result, data for TMD Group is included in the aggregation up to November 2023.
*2 On December 27, 2023, the Company included KOKUSAI DENKI Electric Group within its scope of consolidation, and data for the group is included from FY2024.
*3 On November 28, 2024, the Company included ARGONICS GmbH and ARGONAV GmbH within the scope of consolidation as subsidiaries in the Wireless and Communications business. However, data for these companies is not included in the FY2024 data.
Amount of Energy Consumed by Business
The Micro Devices business accounts for the largest portion of energy consumed, at 1.80 million GJ down 1% YoY, followed by the Textiles business at 1.49 million GJ down 3% YoY.
Amount of Energy Consumed by Business
*1 Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. (the "Company") excluded TMD Group, which was a consolidated subsidiary, from the scope of consolidation, due to its transfer, which took place on November 30, 2023. As a result, data for TMD Group is included in the aggregation up to November 2023.
*2 On December 27, 2023, the Company included KOKUSAI DENKI Electric Group within its scope of consolidation, and data for the group is included from FY2024.
*3 On November 28, 2024, the Company included ARGONICS GmbH and ARGONAV GmbH within the scope of consolidation as subsidiaries in the Wireless and Communications business. However, data for these companies is not included in the FY2024 data.
Energy Conservation Law-based Business Operator Classification Evaluation System
The purpose of the implementation of the Business Operator Classification Evaluation System is to classify all business operators that are required to submit regular reports under the Energy Conservation Law into four categories-S, A, B, and C-and then to enable operators to objectively assess the status of their energy conservation activities. The top-tier S class includes businesses that achieved an average reduction of 1% or more in energy intensity over a five-year period. These results are published annually on the website of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, and this evaluation covers reports submitted for the FY2021-2024 period.
In the Results of the Business Operator Classification Evaluation Based on the FY2024 Report (FY2023 Performance) announced in March 2025, the following nine companies within the Nisshinbo Group received an S rating, the highest possible evaluation.
Best S-Class
- Nisshinbo Holdings, Inc.
- GOYO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
- Nisshinbo Micro Devices, Inc.
- Nisshinbo Micro Devices AT, Inc.
- Nisshinbo Micro Devices Fukuoka, Inc.
- Nisshinbo Brake, Inc.
- Nisshinbo Mechatronics, Inc.
- Nanbu Plastics Co., Ltd.
- Nisshinbo Chemical, Inc.
Specific Activities of the Group Companies
Load Consolidation for Cubicle-Type High-Voltage Power Receiving Equipment
The Nagano Plant of Japan Radio Co., Ltd., receives extra-high-voltage power (77 kV) and distributes it to each building at 6.6 kV.
The plant evaluated the need to replace the cubicle-type high-voltage power receiving equipment (substation equipment used to receive high-voltage power and to step it down to low-voltage power suitable for on-site loads) installed on the roof of Building J30 in consideration of the degree of transformer degradation and the replacement schedule outlined in the long-term maintenance plan. As a result, the plant implemented only the consolidation of secondary-side loads in June 2025 as it consolidated six lighting transformers and six power transformers into one lighting transformer and two power transformers. By integrating low-load transformers to improve the load factor, the plant reduced no-load losses.
The plant expects this consolidation to reduce annual electricity consumption by 33.5 MWh. In addition, as the number of transformers is reduced, the company anticipates further benefits from a decrease in maintenance man-hours due to fewer devices requiring maintenance and inspection, as well as lower future replacement and repair costs.
Switching to LED Lighting in Offices
The Rotterdam office of Alphatron Marine in the Netherlands replaced fluorescent lights with LED panels.
More than 500 light fixtures were replaced throughout the Rotterdam office. This not only improved the brightness of the workspace but also reduced electricity consumption for lighting by more than 60%. However, this is not merely about cost savings. The LED lighting in offices has been scientifically proven to have a positive impact on employee concentration and productivity. Furthermore, people’s moods and health are influenced by the lighting environment in which they work. Inappropriate lighting can cause headaches and fatigue. With over 200 employees working in the headquarters office, which was built 25 years ago, this renovation was of critical importance.
The construction work was carried out during business hours and did not cause any significant disruption to office operations.
Installation of a Heat Pump and Office Renovation
ProNav AS in Norway had been using sturdy panel heaters in its warehouse for decades, which made it necessary to replace with more energy-efficient models. In addition, the old panel heaters were warped, and continuing to use them posed a safety hazard.
ProNav AS had a local dealer install a heat pump for them, and the company also set up a timer to maximize its energy-saving benefits.
Furthermore, since the office building is now 27 years old, renovations were necessary. The company, therefore, decided to improve soundproofing and upgrade the facilities in all offices. In some offices, cold air would seep in from outside when the wind blew in a certain direction, leading to unnecessary energy consumption. The soundproofing and temperature control in each office are now highly effective. All panel heaters can be controlled via an app and a timer.
Completion of the Plan to Upgrade to Next-Generation Eco-Friendly Refrigeration Units
Nisshinbo Micro Devices Fukuoka Co., Ltd., installed three 500-ton air-conditioning turbo chillers, which produce the chilled water essential for air-conditioning systems and low-temperature cooling water.
Since the spare parts for the two units manufactured in 2005-2006 would no longer be available and in order to address aging equipment and environmental concerns (energy conservation and the prevention of global warming), the company replaced two turbo chillers (R-1 and R-2, 6600V) with next-generation, environmentally friendly, CFC-free inverter turbo chillers (using 1233 zd (E) refrigerant, 440 V) between 2022 and 2025 to address aging equipment and environmental concerns (energy conservation and global warming prevention).
Operations centered on two inverter units (R-1 and R-2) began in February 2025, and the total electricity consumption of the refrigeration system for FY2025 was 3,414 MWh/year. As a result, Nisshinbo Micro Devices Fukuoka achieved energy savings of 16% (a reduction of 645 MWh/year) compared to fiscal year 2024 (4,059 MWh/year) and 23% (a reduction of 1,012 MWh/year) compared to FY2023 (4,426 MWh/year).
Nisshinbo Micro Devices Fukuoka is currently exploring energy-saving measures by improving the system coefficient of performance (COP) of the entire refrigeration system through the installation of inverters for cold water and chilled water pumps and the implementation of an integrated heat source control system.
Energy-Saving Measures Through the Conversion to LED Lighting in a Plating Plant
As part of its energy-saving efforts, Nisshinbo Micro Devices (Thailand) Co., Ltd., has been working to convert factory lighting to LED lights. (A total of 3,760 fluorescent lights has been replaced with LEDs throughout the factory.)
As part of its initiatives for FY2025, the company systematically replaced 181 fluorescent and halogen lamps with LEDs at the plating plant the company integrated in 2023 between January and April 2025. As a result of this replacement, Nisshinbo Micro Devices (Thailand) was able to reduce annual electricity consumption by 22 MWh (10 t-CO2).
In addition to switching to LED lighting in the break room, the company installed motion sensors so that the lights turn on only when someone is present, which ensures that the lights are turned off when not needed and prevents the lights from being left on accidentally.
Reducing Energy Consumption
Nisshinbo Saeron (Changshu) Automotive Co., Ltd., in China is continuously working to reduce energy consumption by reviewing and improving its equipment operations.
Regarding the air conditioning in the raw pressing room and mixing room, since there is no need to operate the air conditioning in March and November of each year, Nisshinbo Saeron (Changshu) Automotive implemented a new operating procedure as an improvement measure to shut down all internal circulation fans that were previously left running during those periods. Following verification by the Quality Control Department, confirmation was made that there were no issues with temperature and humidity control. This initiative is expected to result in an annual electricity savings of 90 MWh.
For the TL line, Nisshinbo Saeron (Changshu) Automotive is implementing improvements to reduce the number of cooling fans in operation to two because it is not necessary to run all four fans during the winter months. The company also confirmed that the temperature of the products after cooling fully meets on-site production requirements. Currently, Nisshinbo Saeron (Changshu) Automotive introduced a system that automatically controls the number of cooling fans in operation based on ambient temperature by adding ambient temperature sensors. This initiative is expected to result in annual electricity savings of 26 MWh. Furthermore, by applying heat-shielding sheets to the outer casing of the TL line’s heating section, the company is reducing heat loss and cutting natural gas and electricity consumption. After applying the heat-shielding sheets, Nisshinbo Saeron (Changshu) Automotive calculated the reduction effect based on the TL line’s annual number of operating days. This improvement is expected to reduce natural gas consumption by 30 thousand m3 per year.
Energy Efficiency in Factory Facilities
The main initiatives of Nisshinbo Mechatronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., include replacing conventional power supplies with inverters and converting lighting to LED.
The company implemented inverter technology in two types of equipment. In the air-conditioning system at the lens factory, electricity consumption was reduced from 23.9 kWh to 9.8 kWh, which resulted in a confirmed reduction of 14.1 kWh (approximately 41%). Additionally, by replacing the compressors, Nisshinbo Mechatronics (Shanghai) achieved a reduction of 6.3 kWh (approximately 34%) from 18.3 kWh to 12.0 kWh.
While the switch to LED lighting has so far been limited to certain areas in the Quality Assurance Department and the Manufacturing Department’s balancing process and the ultrasonic welding process, Nisshinbo Mechatronics (Shanghai) is currently conducting tests in preparation for a full-scale rollout in the future. Since the company has not yet measured the effects, plans are underway to reassess the situation in FY2026.
Nisshinbo Mechatronics (Shanghai) will continue to monitor energy consumption and strive to further promote energy conservation.
Energy-Saving Measures for Compressors
Nisshinbo Comprehensive Precision Machining (Yangzhou) Co., Ltd., in China replaced all six energy-saving Class 2 compressors, whose efficiency had declined due to aging, in May 2025 with high-efficiency equipment meeting Energy Saving Class 1 standards.
The new equipment began operations in June and, over the seven-month period through the end of December of that year, the company reduced compressor electricity consumption by 251.6 MWh compared to the same period the previous year (June-December 2024: 2,936 MWh vs. June-December 2025: 2,684 MWh). In addition, the power-to-flow ratio has improved significantly from 7.3 kW (m3/min) before the upgrade to 5.9 kW (m3/min).
Through these initiatives, Nisshinbo Comprehensive Precision Machining (Yangzhou) was able to reduce CO2 emissions by 105.7 tons. The company will continue to promote energy conservation and environmental sustainability through the systematic upgrading of their facilities and operational improvements.
Energy Savings Through Equipment Updates
The Oigawa Plant of Nanbu Plastics Co., Ltd., continued its efforts to improve energy efficiency through equipment upgrades in FY2024.
The plant replaced one of the three compressors in December 2025. The plant expects this equipment upgrade to reduce annual electricity consumption by 12.5 MWh. In addition, the plant replaced three panel coolers installed on Units 20 and 24 and the pelletizer in February 2025. The combined annual electricity savings from these replacements total 10.4 MWh.
In addition to these efforts, The plant implemented a variety of energy-saving measures throughout the year. The Oigawa Plant also conducts regular energy-saving inspections. Each month, small groups of employees patrol the factory to check for lights and air conditioners left on, inspect the filter replacement status, and identify air leaks. By continuing these daily efforts, the plant is raising energy-saving awareness and reducing energy consumption.
Reducing Electricity Consumption Through Molding Machine Updates
In March 2025, Toms Manufacturing Corporation replaced its 160-ton hydraulic hybrid machine with a 180-ton electric machine, and in October of the same year, the company replaced its 180-ton hydraulic machine with a 180-ton electric injection molding machine.
The transition from hydraulic systems to electric motors primarily resulted in reduced energy consumption because, unlike hydraulic systems where the motor driving the hydraulic pump runs continuously, electric motors operate only when needed. Additionally, because of their high precision, the motors contribute to energy savings through faster production processes and help reduce waste, such as plastic scrap, by lowering defect rates during production. This upgrade resulted in an annual reduction of approximately 130 MWh in electricity consumption. Furthermore, through these renewal efforts, Toms Manufacturing helped employees understand the importance of these improvements, which also led to increased motivation in the employees.
By continuing to regularly replace hydraulic machinery with electric motors, Toms Manufacturing will improve its internal profitability while reducing overall electricity consumption and contributing to society.
Energy Savings Through Kaizen Activities
The Tokushima Plant of Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. manufactures the resin additive CARBODILITE® in reaction kettles.
In FY2025 under the theme of improving profitability through kaizen activities, the plant team focused on energy reduction efforts to shorten the cleaning process, raise the temperature in the carbodiimidation process, and switch to LED lighting throughout the plant.
To shorten the cleaning process, personnel at the plant analyzed data on liquid level changes in the tank when returning the cleaning solution from the reactor to the tank after cleaning, thereby reducing the drainage time by 30 minutes per batch. As a result of these efforts, The plant achieved a total reduction of 7.4 MWh in electricity consumption based on actual production figures for FY2025.
In the carbodiimidation process, the plant implemented measures to increase the heating setpoint temperature in order to accelerate the thermal reaction of the main raw material and reduce the residual NCO content. As a result of these efforts, The plant achieved a total reduction of 8.8 MWh in electricity consumption based on actual production figures for FY2025.
By converting the lighting in areas where workers spend long hours, such as the first-floor raw material room and synthesis room, to LED lighting, The plantreduced annual electricity consumption by 17.0 MWh.