Power Saving Report

Energy saving activities in two plants that
consume a large volume of electricity

Kiyohara Sumiden, Ltd. and Sumitomo Electric Tochigi Co., Ltd. are both located in Kiyohara Industrial Park, which isone of the largest industrial complexes in Japan situated inland by the clear Kinugawa River in Utsunomiya City,
Tochigi Prefecture. These two companies consume so much electricity that both are among the top five Sumitomo
Electric Group companies in Japan in terms of power use.

Tadashi Sugiyama General Manager
Yoshinobu Onishi Assistant Manager, Plant Engineering Group,

Hiroshi TakamizawaSumitomo Electric Tochigi Co., Ltd.

Kiyohara Sumiden, Ltd.

Sumitomo Electric Tochigi Co., Ltd. started production

Having started production activities in 1998, Kiyohara

activities in 1985, and its main products include steel

Sumiden, Ltd. supplies optical fibers and preforms usedcords used to reinforce car radial tires (high-strength steelfor base materials of optical fibers to customers all overwires). The plant uses large gas furnaces and hundreds ofthe world. Our company consumes much electricity

electric motors to manufacture products. We are making

because of the large production volume, in addition to theenergy saving efforts including recovery of waste heatprocess to transform quartz glass, which has high melting

from the furnaces to generate hot water and steam, aspoint, into fibers in ultra-high purity. We are therefore

well as introduction of LED lights and high-efficiency

committed actively to reduction of power use mainly in air

motors and air conditioners. We also strive to reduce gas

conditioners and other utilities. All of our manufacturingconsumption, along with power use, by adjusting the airprocesses are implemented in clean rooms, and we haveratio in boilers and furnaces in a more meticulous manner.

focused on saving energy used by air conditioners

In addition to such equipment improvement, we arebecause it is most effective.

committed to improvement on the software aspects,

Specifically, the number of freezers was cut from seven tosuch as review of the operation of compressors andthree by introducing inverter ones and review of theinverters. As exemplified by the accumulation of thesesystem, and we optimized the setting of air conditioners

energy saving efforts, we are making steady efforts within consideration of temperature and humidity. We are

creative ideas.

also working to improve their operation through such

In recent years, steel tire cords have been required to be

initiatives as reduction of the waiting time of furnaces bystronger to reduce the weight and contribute to thethe use of IT. While exhaust gas is generated as a

improvement of fuel efficiency of cars. This gives us anby-product, we are also trying to reduce energy use ofopportunity to take advantage of the features of ourblowers and other devices in the process to purify the gasproducts, which have high strength and high quality. We

as our original initiative.

also consider that such features result in the reduction ofAs a result of these efforts, the energy consumption in fiscal

total CO 2 emissions throughout the life cycle of the2015 was lower than the fiscal 2012 level although ourproducts including emissions at the stages of production

production increased during the period. We have alsoand use. We will keep working for research andsucceeded in plant management, and the energy

development in cooperation with tire manufacturers andconsumption per unit of products produced was lowest ever.

contribute to the reduction of environmental impact

We will keep accumulating the effects of ideas for energy

through energy

saving, and promotesaving and various

detailed saving activities.

Manufacturing Department

Manager of Plant Engineering Group, Manufacturing Department

other efforts.

High-eﬃciency
freezers

Generation of steam with
waste heat recovered fromthe quenching furnace
Steel cords for radial tires

Reduction of the waiting time of furnaces by
the use of IT