More significantly, all of our factories have instituted programs to ensure that our operational processes are environmentally friendly. Several of those factories are leading the way for others.

Our Yukilon^® sponge facility in Japan, for example, recently completed a number of Eco Projects geared at aggressively limiting its carbon footprint. 1,100 meters of solar panels were installed to reduce traditional energy consumption by 20% in the first year alone. The factory was re-tooled with a low-energy boiler to reduce the amount of heavy oil consumption, convert 100% of the factory’s industrial sponge waste to generate new energy, and reduce CO² emissions to zero percent. With a 32% reduction in overall energy use and carbon dioxide emissions reduced by 267 tons, the program is now being used as a model throughout the region.

Taking another approach, our Yoshino partners emphasize the conservation and responsible use of raw materials. They not only specialize in refillable packaging but offer many packages that can be separated after use for easy recycling. What’s more, their molding operations feature PLA resin, a special bio-degradable plastic. Their attention to environmental issues carries through into basic product design: lightweight packaging not only reduces weight but uses less energy in shipping, while stackable packaging saves further transit costs. Yoshino holds an ISO14000 certification for environmental and ecological compliance.