Environment : Green Logistics

Reducing CO2 Emissions in Transportation

In order to realize the 'Environmental Vision 2050' and contribute to the prevention of global warming, aiming to improve transportation efficiency while reducing costs, Panasonic has been working to reduce CO2 emissions also in our Distribution division, focusing on modal shift, adoption of low-emission vehicles, adoption of biodiesel fuels, reductions in transportation distances, and improvement of the loading rate in transportation/distribution.
As a result, in fiscal 2023, our total global CO2 emissions from logistics activities was 887kt worldwide; of which international transportation was 246kt, and domestic transportation in Japan was 123kt.

Focused Activities for Green Logistics

CO2 Emissions from Logistics

CO2 emission levels for shipping for fiscal 2023 show a global total of 887,000 tons, of which international transportation accounts for 27.7%, intra-regional shipping outside Japan for 58.4%, and domestic shipping in Japan for 13.9%.

Transportation Amount by Transportation Method (Japan)

Transportation volumes for fiscal 2023 total 0.85 billion tons-kilometers, of which air freight accounts for 0.04%, trucks for 93.3%, ships for 6.65% and rail for 0.66%.

Consolidated Transportation (transportation/load of different products at the same time) in Collaboration with Sales Division

Making best use of that products are shipped from the same warehouse, Panasonic has transported products in consolidated cargo (transport/load of different products at the same time) in collaborating with its sales division. Under the system finalizes orders two days before the transportation, which was started in 2017, the followings have been realized: 1) allocation of a tack for the transportation one day before the transportation instead of on the transportation day, and 2) consolidated transportation of different products such as water heaters and air conditioners. As a result, the number of ordering trucks for transportation has been reduced, which has contributed to CO2 reduction, and at the same time, actions for transportation risk have been realized. In fiscal 2023, the total number of actually ordered trucks for consolidated transportation was 4,699 trucks (116% year-on-year), whose loading rate at the same time was 44%, and CO2 reduction effect was equivalent to 145t per year; for the subject transportation, 6.8% of CO2 was reduced.

Landing Shipments at a Port Close to the Target Sales Area

Aiming for higher efficiency in transporting products, Panasonic is expanding its our efforts to land imported products at a port close to the target sales area in Japan. Conventionally, landing of products was centralized to a port near the West Japan Global Logistics Center (GLC) in Amagasaki City in Hyogo Prefecture, stored at the West Japan GLC, and then transported to respective locations as required. Landing the products at ports closer to the target sales areas can reduce the distance required for land transport within Japan, thereby contributing to reducing not only CO2 emissions but also inbound and outbound deliveries between sites as well as distribution costs. In fiscal 2022, we strengthened activities for products other than washing machines and televisions that we had been working for to reduce CO2 emissions because of their high sales volumes, and rolled out the activities of unloading our products at ports close to the sales area to other product categories such as air conditioners, hair care and beauty products, vacuum cleaners, heaters, and DVD recorders, and further reduced the volume of long distance domestic transportation volume. From now on, we will continue to expand the scope of products and also further refine the projection of sales demand in various regions, optimize the stock amounts held in those areas, and expand the landing products at ports near target sales areas.

Promotion of modal shift towards reduction of CO2 emissions

In terms of transportation of finished products, we aim to achieve a modal shift rate of approximately 40% or more. We are currently working to increase the ratio of rail freight transportation, focusing on transportation to front-line warehouses in Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, and Tosu, which will cover distances of 500 km or more. We are also working to drastically reduce CO2 emissions by improving transportation efficiency.

Moriguchi Factory
(material delivery)

Long distance transportation from Tohoku region.
The photo shows railway containers whose respective load weight is 5ton.

Osaka Settsu warehouse
(product shipments)

Long distance transportation bound for Kanto region.
The photo shows a railway containers whose load weight is 10ton.

The photo shows inside of the 10t railway container with goods loaded on up to 10t, although still loading spaces seem to be available.

Has obtained the Eco Rail Mark product certification since 2005; continuation of promotion of the activities.

Children's factory tour booklet

Since publishing this booklet in 2007, we have invited more than 200,000 elementary school students to visit our factory to promote our company's environmental initiatives.

Product catalog

We obtained product certification in 2012 and are now include the Eco Rail Mark in our catalog. We promote our achievements as added value to our customers.

*Panasonic products are on the list of the Eco Rail Mark certified products on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) Homepage in 2023 (Japanese)
-Alkaline dry battery 'EVOLTA'
-Nickel hydride battery: 'Charge type EVOLTA'
- 'Micro battery' manufactured by Panasonic
- 'LED light' manufactured by Panasonic
--Nickel hydride battery: 'eneloop'

Recycling of Stretching Film Used in Shipment

As an activity to reduce logistics waste, in fiscal 2015, we started recycling and reusing used stretch films with Nozoe Industry Inc. (Nozoe), and in fiscal 2023, we have continued the activity. It used to that all the stretch films used for shipment were discarded after use, however, the used films are now recycled and used as raw materials for polyethylene bags by Nozoe, while Panasonic has purchased the bags made of recycled materials. As Chinese government started banning imports of waste plastics in the end of 2017, Panasonic’s other sites who did not have business contact with Nozoe in Japan started similar activities with Nozoe. In addition, with the launch of full operation of Nozoe’s recycling factory in Saitama Prefecture led to expand our recycling scheme for used stretch film in Kanto region. As a result, the total 329t of stretch film was recycled. In FY2019, we have started to purchase recycled products from Nozoe in Panasonic, to further increase purchase volume of Nozoe’s recycled products. We continue to make effective use of used stretch films, while reducing logistics wastes.

Stretch Film Recycling Scheme with Nozoe

Stretch film purchased from Nozoe Industry Inc. for transportation is recycled into garbage bags and repurchased by Panasonic.

Use of Biodiesel Fuel (Japan)

Panasonic promotes transforming waste cooking oil collected from its business sites into biodiesel fuel and utilizing it for vehicles used in production, procurement, and marketing activities. Since fiscal 2010, we have been using 100% biodiesel fuel for the joint transportation with the Asahi Shimbun Company in the Tokai and Tokyo Metropolitan areas to enhance further usage of biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel fuel usage in fiscal 2023 was 9.892kl. We will increase opportunity to use the biodiesel fuel in non-road vehicles such as forklifts.