NHK Spring Group's Environmental Challenges
(Reducing CO₂ and Industrial Waste)

* SCOPE 1: Direct emissions of greenhouse gases by business operators (fuel combustion, industrial processes)
* SCOPE 2: Indirect emissions arising in line with use of electricity, heat and steam supplied by other companies

In FY2024, following on from the previous year, we implemented measures such as updating compressors to optimize control, replacing aging air conditioners, electrifying boilers that use fossil fuels, and reducing and discontinuing use of equipment. In addition, we introduced solar power generation facilities and purchased renewable energy. As a result, both the total amount of CO₂ emissions and the CO₂ emissions per unit of sales decreased at NHK Spring and Group companies in Japan. 

The NHK SPRING Group is promoting the use of renewable energy, including installing solar power generation equipment, to transition to non-fossil energy sources. To date, we have deployed solar power generation equipment at 36 business sites: 6 at NHK Spring plants, 24 at Group companies in Japan, and 6 at Group companies overseas. In FY2024, 2.35% of the global power consumption of our Company and Group companies was sourced from solar power. To achieve carbon neutrality, we are currently planning to deploy solar power generation equipment at additional business sites and expand our existing solar systems.

 The NHK Mec Komagane Plant, the NHK SPRING DDS Komagane Plant and the NHK SPRING Industrial Machinery and Equipment Division Yasu Plant have achieved carbon neutrality. Measures such as switching from kerosene-fired to electric air conditioning systems and purchasing renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, have yielded positive results. The factories that have achieved carbon neutrality are as follows.

As an example, we would like to highlight the initiatives undertaken at the NHK SPRING DDS Komagane Plant. At the DDS Komagane Plant, which manufactures hard disk drive suspensions, the company reviewed its existing equipment and eliminated the use of kerosene by changing the humidification and heating methods required to maintain the cleanroom. As a result, the plant achieved an annual reduction of 454.4 tonnes of CO₂ and ‘zero’ fossil fuel consumption in its production systems.

① Innovations in Humidification

A micro-fog system is a two-fluid humidification device that converts purified water into an ultra-fine mist and ejects it using compressed air. Previously, humidification was achieved by burning kerosene and utilising steam from boiling water; however, by adopting the micro-fog system, kerosene consumption was reduced, resulting in a reduction of 409 tonnes of CO₂ compared to the annual kerosene consumption in the 2023 financial year.

② Heating Measures

We have replaced the kerosene-fired boilers previously used for heating with electric boilers. This has reduced CO₂ emissions by 45.4 tonnes compared to the kerosene consumption in the 2023 financial year.

 NHK Spring, under the NHK Spring Group’s Environmental Challenges, is working toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2039, with a focus on the development of new technologies. Specifically, as part of our carbon neutrality investments, we plan to allocate 10 billion yen through FY2026 in line with our medium-term plan to promote initiatives such as the electrification of production facilities and the purchase of renewable energy.

NHK Spring and its domestic Group companies are working to reduce industrial waste as part of our global environmental conservation activities, and we have achieved our group target of a “recycling rate of 99% or more” every year. Furthermore, in accordance with the industrial waste targets set out in the “NHK Spring Group's Environmental Challenges” declaration of September 2021, we will work to achieve even stricter targets for reducing the amount of non-recyclable wastes*. 
At present, we define thermal recycling as a resource recovery process, however, because CO₂ is generated during incineration, we are considering switching to material or chemical recycling in the future.

*Non-recyclable wastes = industrial wastes that are not reused and recycled due to landfilling or otherwise

We introduce some of the initiatives that NHK Spring and domestic Group companies are implementing to achieve NHK Spring Group's Environmental Challenges. The following are the main activities for reducing non-recyclable wastes.

(1) Thorough sorting and conversion of waste plastic into valuable resources using material judgment equipment
(2) Re-examining of recycling contractors capable of conducting recycling
(3) Promotion of free recycling and conversion of waste materials into valuable resources

Because some of the waste plastic discharged from the factory was treated as mixed plastic, it was previously disposed of by landfilling as non-recyclable waste, however, by improving the sorting process and conducting recycling, it has been possible to change all of it to recycled materials.

Previously, the plant carried out thermal recycling of waste materials generated in the extrusion molding process, however, by sorting the waste plastic by type and reviewing the processing subcontractor, it has been possible to convert wastes into valuable resources and achieve material recycling.