Rengo Co., Ltd. announces that its Kanazu Mill won the Director-General's Prize (Industrial Sector) of the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy at the Energy Conservation Grand Prize 2023 for productivity improvement initiatives at the paperboard mill.
In October 2017, the mill converted its containerboard machine from one dedicated to producing corrugated medium into one also capable of producing linerboard. Subsequently, as the energy intensity continued to rise, the mill sought to improve productivity, save energy, and save labor by increasing drying efficiency in dryer parts, improving product quality, strengthening drying capacity in dryer parts, and saving steam.
In addition, the Paperboard Production Group as a whole has been promoting IoT utilization projects, and the mill also promoted efficiency through the development and introduction of a paper breakage monitoring system, a rotating body vibration monitoring system, and a boiler abnormality predictive detection system, and others. Furthermore, operations were improved by utilizing base warehouses to reduce truck fuel consumption and driver waiting times.
Through these initiatives, the mill achieved an energy reduction of 6,950kL/year (crude oil equivalent), or 10.7% compared to FY2018, and a fuel reduction of 3,089L/year (crude oil equivalent) through utilizing base warehouses. These achievements have been recognized through the winning of this award.
Rengo is working on environmental measures through the "Eco Challenge 2030," which sets targets such as a 46% reduction in CO2 emissions derived from fossil energy in FY2030 compared to FY2013, and the Rengo Group Environment Action 2050, which strives to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The company will continue to strengthen environmental initiatives in all business activities with the aim of being "friendly to people and the environment."