Efforts to Reduce Our Environmental Footprint

The TS TECH Group understands that reducing the weight of our products is one of the most effective ways in which we can reduce our impact on the environment. For example, our seat frames account for a large portion of the weight of our products, so we strive to apply a variety of weight-reducing technologies wherever possible, while further improving safety and comfort in line with evolving specification needs. The next-generation seat frame installed in the 2020 Honda Fit is about 28% lighter than our previous core frame. We accomplished this by using more ultra-high tensile strength steel and thin-plate welding technology. It is now being used in many automobile models worldwide. In addition to reviewing the use of aluminum and other materials, we are also focusing our efforts on technology that fuses different materials. Using the optimal designs for these materials, we will cut out even a single extra gram to develop frames that are the lightest in the world.

In addition to weight-reducing technologies, we are focusing on reducing CO₂ contained in our products through technologies utilizing CNF¹ and other plant-derived biomass materials. Compared to conventional door trims made from petroleum-derived materials, we have succeeded in reducing the amount of CO₂ contained in these products by 60% by using plant-derived biomass materials (for resin/synthetic leather coverings), and we are continuing our research with the goal of applying this technology to mass-produced products.

Moreover, with the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) in mind, we are pursuing research and development that will contribute to carbon neutrality from various angles, such as the development of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) for seat heaters that efficiently heat seats with low power consumption and an energy-saving air-conditioned seat, thereby contributing to improvements in electricity costs (fuel efficiency).

• *CNF: Cellulose nanofiber

Evolution of parts using ultra-high tensile strength steel (shown in blue)

With a policy to “build production plants that are sincerely welcomed by the local community,” our Manufacturing Division, which oversees our production plants, aims to contribute to a recycling-oriented society and promotes efforts to build “people-friendly, environment-friendly production plants.” Through the use of Japan’s traditional karakuri mechanisms, we have been able to simultaneously save energy, reduce workloads, and improve production efficiency through the promotion of a plant-wide framework that aims to automate work without consuming energy.

The karakuri competition we hold annually welcomed the involvement of domestic affiliates in fiscal 2022, and we will seek to further invigorate related activities. The top three entries in the competition are slated for inclusion in the Karakuri Kaizen Exhibition^* organized by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance. We are committed to motivating our employees and incorporating other companies’ ideas for improvement in our work to accelerate the creation of energysaving, low-cost processes.

We also plan to hold a cross-departmental Group-wide meeting in fiscal 2023 to share successful cases of energysaving efforts made in the manufacturing domain. By encouraging horizontal deployment of such energy-saving examples, as well as working to standardize our production equipment worldwide, we will undertake the process of creating simple, slim, compact processes with low energy consumption at all our production sites.

• * The Karakuri Kaizen Exhibition is held every year in Japan to showcase improvements using karakuri mechanisms.

Karakuri activities at the Saitama Plant

In order to ensure the reliability environmental data disclosure, the Group has obtained third-party verification from SGS Japan Inc. Verification results for fiscal 2023 are as follows.