Fuji Kogyo Co., Ltd., known globally as Fuji Rod Components, has announced its support of a world- wide ecological initiative called e Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The plan, adopted by a United Nations Summit in 2015, targets 17 environmental goals and outlines 169 specific efforts to reach those goals. The SDGs are part of the UN’s broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which supports economic development that respects and sustains the environment.
Fuji’s announcement should come as no surprise to anyone aware of the company’s track record on environmental concerns which dates all the way back to the original purchase of the Kikugawa factory site in 1970. Tree planting, reservoir design, forests and open grasslands were all part of the original site design, along with a mandate to use no more than 50% of the site for manufacturing purposes with the remaining 50% “green.” In addition, as far back as 2008, Fuji adopted the now familiar “We Love the Earth” mission statement to highlight their ongoing and public concern for a better planet.
Today, the original site houses Fuji’s new Research and Development Center, a planned “Eco-Factory.” It now includes a solar field that produces power for the factory and often offers surplus power to local homes and businesses. Fuji’s solar power project has been highly successful and has grown much larger since its experimental start. On-site reservoir waters, too, are now shared with local farmers for irrigation, and the “green” portion of the campus has actually grown from 50% in the original plan to 60% today.
Outside the grounds, Fuji sponsors “We Love the Earth” clean-up efforts on beaches and shorelines and keeps a vigilant eye toward environmental concerns. For over a decade, the “We Love the Earth” slogan has quietly steered the company toward more and more eco-initiatives that have, today, reached every corner of the globe.
The company’s most recent sustainability challenge has been the development of a new series of guide frame treatments. Fuji’s proprietary “CC” treatment is now in full production, a process that reduces emissions and produces minimal waste that is not only organic but also eco-friendly. Additionally, the process boosts corrosion resistance compared to standard stainless steel. Fuji is now transitioning, from the environmentally harsh “automotive” type coatings used on Black and Gunsmoke colored frames, to the more eco-friendly silver (CC), dark grey (BC) and Gunmetal (GM) treated frames. In the future, all Fuji products will be manufactured with special attention to environmental impact and sustainability.
In an industry so inextricably linked to the health of the environment, the company hopes that more fishing products manufacturers across the globe will begin to address the sustainability issues outlined in the SDGs. Fuji believes that a healthy environment enhances a mindset that boosts creativity and wellbeing, and that employees in such a setting are most likely to produce their very best work.
