Kyushu Area of FUJIFILM MATERIAL MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. (located in Kikuyo Town, Kumamoto Prefecture) produces optical film that is supplied globally for use in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and other devices. The company promotes the effective use of water, an essential resource for manufacturing.
Plant facilities of Kyushu Area of FUJIFILM MATERIAL MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
“TAC film” manufactured by Kyushu Area of FUJIFILM MATERIAL MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Water is used in the manufacturing of optical film, particularly in the processes of cooling, steam production, and process washing. The greatest volume of water is needed for cooling. After dissolving polymer using solvents and stretching it into film, water is used for the coolant in a cooling tower that serves as air-conditioning equipment to dry the film. For the primary coolant, Kyushu Area of FUJIFILM MATERIAL MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. uses sterilized, filtered rainwater, thereby conserving groundwater. Efforts are also made to reuse groundwater and rainwater, with a reuse rate of nearly 55%
Kyushu Area of FUJIFILM MATERIAL MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. also works with Kumamoto Prefecture and the local forest cooperative to plant trees as part of the “Hikari no Mori” forest-building project for restoring groundwater resources. As of 2022, approximately 13,000 trees —konara oaks, Japanese maples (yama momiji) and Japanese mountain cherry (yama zakura) — have been planted on 5.24 hectares of land in Minamiaso Village. Also, with the cooperation of farmers in Kikuyo Town, Fujifilm has been helping to maintain rice paddies since 2010 with the same goal of preserving groundwater. The groundwater conserved by this forested land and rice paddies is estimated to be equivalent to approximately 25% of the groundwater used at the plant.
Employees join in tree-planting activities
Ongoing tree-planting builds forests
