Environmental protection

Kito shall contribute to realizing an enriched and sustainable society where people are in harmony with the earth through development of our business activities and provision of products and services in the material handling field.

To further reduce environmental impact, we will rebuild our plant for cleaner, more energy-efficient operations. Here at the Yamanashi Plant our top priority is to maintain a safe workplace for all, with careful attention to fire, other work-related risks, and harmful noise and odors in addition to effort to reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions and other environmental impact.

Kito switched to powder-coating in 2017, resulting in a 70% cut in the use of organic solvents from the 2015 level. Effort continues to reduce that further.

Use of organic solvents

In addition to isolating and eliminating Class-1 hazardous and other oils, we are replacing them with safe materials.

Increase efficiency of heating equipment.
Reduce size and redistribute large equipment.
Make compressed air leaks visible and reduce.

Trend in energy consumption and CO2emissions relative to production volume

Based on joint industry guidelines such as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) standards by the European Union, Kito identifies and prevents the use of 19 selected hazardous substances (“Kito’s banned 19”). The standard manual and electric chain hoists Kito produces comply with RoHS standards. For the rest, we are actively working to switch to products without the “banned 19.”

Kito, in order to provide customers with environmentally-friendly products, has set forth the Green Procurement Guidelines, in accordance with the Environment Policy; and with the cooperation of its suppliers, aims to proactively undertake initiatives to mitigate the environmental burden and build a recycling-oriented economic system.

In 2009, Kito determined restricted substances as “Kito’s 15 prohibited substances” based on then-current RoHS Directive and Joint Industry Guide (JIG), and Kito has promoted initiatives to eliminate the restricted substances in accordance with our environmental policy. Taking later laws and market requirements into consideration, Kito decided to add four substances specified in RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU) to our restricted substances and promotes elimination of “Kito’s 19 prohibited substances”. The restricted substances may be changed as needed in response to future revision of the laws and social situation.

Kito will take into consideration whether a supplier has acquired or plans to acquire the ISO14001 and similar certifications related to environmental systems, and give preference to suppliers who comply with various laws and regulations including those relating to the environment and those who are actively engaged in initiatives toward environmental conservation. Preference will also be given to suppliers who are willing to appropriately comply with changes in specifications of the procured items, which may occur as a result of revisions of various laws and regulations.

Kito classifies procurement into three categories and has established the initiatives to be taken for each category. Compliance with initiatives toward items in category <1> is mandatory, while the initiatives toward items in categories <2> and <3> are to be observed whenever possible, assuming that all the required specifications will be met.

1. Initiatives toward products, parts, materials and auxiliary materials (oils, paints, adhesive agents, etc., hereinafter referred to as “auxiliary materials”) that make up Kito products, parts, materials and auxiliary materials that make up Kito products denote all procured items that make up the products and services sold by Kito. Kito has been engaged in initiatives to eliminate hazardous substances from these items, as necessary, since 2005.
   In order to mitigate the environmental burden of procured items, Kito has been promoting design changes toward eliminating hazardous substances in existing models, in accordance with the Environmental Design Standards; and in terms of new products, Kito has been addressing the priority task of selecting items with less environmental burden for procurement from the development phase.
2. Initiatives toward procured items relating to production activities
   Procured items relating to production activities denote general facilities and jigs/tools that manufacture and process the parts that make up the products and various facilities and equipment used in production. When procuring these items, which include general-purpose as well as dedicated facilities or equipment, preference will be given to items that do not contain the 19 designated substances, whenever possible. Additionally, the auxiliary materials that are incidental to each facility or equipment are considered equivalent to the facility or equipment and preference will be given to those that do not contain said substances, whenever possible.
3. Initiatives toward stationery and office supplies, etc.
   Kito strives to expand the procurement of environmentally-friendly stationery, writing utensils, fixtures, files and other office supplies, while keeping in mind the promotion of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle); and at the same time aims to build a recycling-oriented society.

The Guidelines will basically apply to all items procured by Kito; and while certain items represent non-binding targets, the application of portions of the Guidelines relating to products (including OEM), parts, consumables and services sold by Kito will be mandatory.

In terms of the evaluation and selection criteria of Green Procurement, suppliers will be evaluated as per the following, and selection will be performed with preference given to suppliers who actively comply with Kito’s requirements and are receptive toward Kito’s environmental initiatives.