025 gloria blue nega

With the planet

Our challenge to establish recycling-based society

Development of our “Reman” Remanufacturing Business

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Our challenge to establish recycling-based society

 

Development of our “Reman” remanufacturing business

Komatsu promotes the “Reman (remanufacturing) business” at our Reman plants/centers in 11 countries worldwide. “Reman business” involves remanufacturing the used engines, transmissions, and other components removed from construction and mining machinery that have been in operation at customer sites for a long period. We engage in various processes involving the collection, disassembly, cleaning, salvage or replacement, reassembly. We subsequently conduct performance tests, paint, and conduct shipping inspections before supplying the parts back to the market as newly manufactured components. Each plant/center not only functions independently but is also connected to each other through a network to share technical information necessary for Reman Business on a global basis. In addition, we obtain the durability information of Reman components operating in the market and provide important feedback to develop components with an optimum lifetime. With the Reman business, approximately 43,600 tons of CO2 reduction effect in FY2021 was estimated compared to the case of making new products.
We offer the following benefits to customers.

  • Quality and performance that matches new components
  • Lower cost for "remanned" components
  • Reduced idle time for construction equipment because of adequate inventory of "remanned" components
  • Resource conservation and waste reduction through reuse and recycling of components

Changes in Reman sales (base FY 2010 = 100)

Reman factories and centers map

Reman process

komatsu csr, env, corporate communication, 情報戦略本部, production division, Procurement Division, Development Division, Construction Equipment Marketing Division, ライフサイクル事業部, 地雷除去プロジェクト室

Promoting resource recycling activities by Reman
-Reinforcing recycled component operations with the launch of the new Reman plant in Chile-

Komatsu has opened a new Reman (remanufacturing) plant at Komatsu Chile (Santiago, Republic of Chile) in La Negra in the Antofagasta region. The plant manufactures and supplies high-quality, high-efficiency Reman components to support the supersized electric dump trucks operating in mines in the northern region of Chile. This Reman plant has improved area productivity and the work environment by consolidating functions and optimizing processes based on the Komatsu Group's production technology. Furthermore, the parts warehouse has been consolidated and streamlined to provide customers with 9,000 tons of prompt, high-quality Reman components per year, contributing to waste reduction and resource recycling.
We will promote the following activities to further reduce our environmental impact and make the plant cleaner.
1. Introduction of solar power generation and operation with 100% renewable energy from green energy providers.
2. Introduction of a plant water reuse system and green irrigation system.

komatsu csr, env, corporate communication, 情報戦略本部, production division, Procurement Division, Development Division, Construction Equipment Marketing Division, ライフサイクル事業部, 地雷除去プロジェクト室

 

Effective use of critical materials in products

Komatsu is working on the conservation and effective use of limited resources by reusing critical materials used in products, etc.
An increasing number of diesel engines, which are used in construction machines, are now equipped with exhaust gas processing devices to reduce the density of NOx (nitrogen oxide) and PM (particulate matter) in exhaust gases. The exhaust gas processing devices use noble metals as a catalyst to reduce the density of NOx and PM. To effectively use these resources, Oyama Plant in Japan, for example, collects the exhaust gas processing devices of construction machines that have been replaced and recycles the noble metals in them. They are also recycling other critical materials to make them reusable, ensuring their effective use and aiming to reduce the consumption of new critical materials.

env, production division

Activities to Effectively Utilize Resources in Production (1. Waste)

 

Activities to effectively utilize resources in production (1. waste)

Komatsu promotes activities to reduce waste discharge while also implementing "zero emission" activities to recycle and effectively use the generated waste.
At our manufacturing sites, we are mainly working to convert waste plastic into valuable resources, reduce wood waste by improving packaging methods, and reuse packaging materials. These improvements led to a reduction of the waste emissions basic unit by 38% in FY2022 compared with FY2010.
We will promote the effective use of resources at our plants in Japan and overseas to reduce waste emissions.

Item FY2021 FY2022 Target of FY2030
Index of waste generated per unit
(Reference year: 2010)
61 62 60

Major achievements in FY2022

《Japan》

  • Reduction of wood chips through packing mode improvements for items procured overseas
  • Promotion of waste sorting to turn waste plastics into valuable commodities

《Overseas》

  • Reuse of packaging materials for transportation

Amount of generated wasteIndependent Practitioner's Assurancecheckmark

Amount of Generated Waste (Scope of data: Komatsu Ltd. and the Komatsu Group manufacturing facilities)


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Efforts to convert biomass combustion ash into fertilizer (Awazu Plant)

Komatsu has operated wood biomass boilers using woodchips as fuel, predominantly made of unused left-over wood after forest thinning, at its Awazu Plant in the Kaga area of Ishikawa Prefecture since 2015. This has promoted energy savings, energy generation, and environmental impact reduction. Komatsu supports the sound management of forests by using about 6,000 tons of woodchips annually, while disposing of approximately 20 tons of wood ash (biomass combustion ash) as industrial waste annually. Since this biomass combustion ash contains potassium and phosphorus, necessary nutrients of agricultural products, Komatsu has been conducting research and development for fertilizer production in collaboration with the Ishikawa Agriculture and Forestry Research Center and ASAHI AGRIA CO., LTD. since 2016. Komatsu registered fertilizer as biomass combustion ash-based fertilizer with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in April 2022 as a promising raw material for a fertilizer that is accessible in Japan. Currently, the Awazu Plant delivers almost all of the biomass combustion ash to ASAHI AGRIA as a raw fertilizer material, and ASAHI AGRIA promotes sales of the fertilizer made from biomass combustion ash to farmers in Ishikawa Prefecture and other customers.

Wood biomass boiler
Wood biomass boiler 
Fertilizer made from biomass combustion ash
Fertilizer made from biomass combustion ash
komatsu csr, env, corporate communication, 情報戦略本部, production division, Procurement Division, Development Division, Construction Equipment Marketing Division, ライフサイクル事業部

Activities to Effectively Utilize Resources in Production (2. Water Resources)

 

Activities to effectively utilize resources in production (2. water resources)

Given that our plants in the Hokuriku area of Japan use particularly large amounts of water, Komatsu optimizes water use for snow melting purposes in winter and also reduces the amount of new water input in production processes by recycling cooling water for facilities and the air-cooling of water-cooling facilities.
In FY 2022, we reduced the basic unit of water input by 69% compared with FY 2010. Having achieved our previous 2030 target (60% reduction of water input basic unit compared with FY 2010), we have set a new target in our new mid-term management plan. We will continue to optimize water use and promote water usage reduction activities in production and daily operations.

Item FY2021 FY2022 Target of FY2024
Index of water input volume per unit
(Reference year: 2010)
36 31 30
  • New target for 2030 is under consideration.

Major achievements in FY2022

《Japan》

  • Recycling cooling water for heat treatment facilities and air-cooling compressors
  • Optimization of water use for snow melting; installation of water-saving nozzles in welfare buildings

《Overseas》

  • Use of rainwater and recycled water for sprinklers

Water input in production activities

Water input volumeIndependent Practitioner's Assurancecheckmark

Water Use Indicators in Production Activities
 
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Activities to reduce water consumption for air compressors, etc. (Komatsu NTC Ltd.)

Komatsu NTC is working to reduce water consumption by using groundwater for cooling air compressors and air conditioners and melting snow in winter. Historically, the water-cooled air compressors used to supply air to the plant were often turned on, even when air was not being used, resulting in unnecessary water and electricity consumption. However, the air compressor was remote from the work site and challenging to operate, making it difficult for workers to stop the compressor easily. Therefore, Komatsu NTC installed a remote ON/OFF one-touch button to enable workers to easily operate the air compressor directly from the work site. This made it easier to cease the operation of the air compressor at night and before holidays, reducing water consumption by approximately 15,000 m3/year. When replacing the water-cooled air compressors long since installed, the plant adopted an air-cooling system requiring no water, and to reduce CO2 emissions, it adopted inverters, downsizing, and switched from an oil-free system to a water-lubricated system. Furthermore, Komatsu NTC achieved a 60% reduction in water consumption in FY2021 compared to FY2010 by sequentially replacing water-cooled air conditioners with air-cooled versions and changing the cooling water for heat treatment equipment from a pouring system to a circulating system. Komatsu NTC will continue its water-saving activities to coexist with nature.

komatsu csr, env, corporate communication, 情報戦略本部, production division, Procurement Division, Development Division, Construction Equipment Marketing Division, ライフサイクル事業部