Mie Plant (MP)

Business activities

Production of tires for trucks and buses, passenger cars

Total site area

264,000 m2　ABINC→259,411m2

Number of employees

1,321 (as of December 2023)

Location

1038 Takabuku, Misono-cho, Ise City, Mie 516-8530, JAPAN

Contact for consultation and complaints

Operation Section
Tel: +81-596-28-3151 Fax: +81-596-28-3156

Message from the General Manager

Mitsugi Dairaku

Yokohama Rubber has established “Deal fairly with society and value harmony with the environment” as its basic environmental policy, and it aims to be “a company having world-class strengths in technologies for protecting the environment.” Our Mie Plant is located in Ise City: the divine capital located along the Miya River, Japan’s purest river. In doing business in this region, we have a strong desire to protect this abundance of nature and to continue to develop together with the community.

Since our plant’s acquisition of ISO 14001 certification in 1998, we have addressed environmental preservation through the full participation of our employees, such activities being centered upon our environmental management systems. Concerning preservation of the environment, we have conducted ongoing improvements due to the establishment each year of objectives for reducing environmental burdens. Special activities that we can be particularly proud of include the operational improvements and reductions with respect to resource usage amounts achieved by the “Waste Elimination Force,” a group mainly comprised of female employees, and the efforts of the “Frontline Support Team,” who have helped to transform support so that we can view manufacturing sites through the eyes of the customer. Furthermore, through the activities of the “Forever Forest Project” and we have also concluded a new “Kigyo no Mori (the forests created by companies)” initiatives with Watarai Town, Watarai District, Mie Prefecture from fiscal 2021. We have been creating forests and ensuring the conservation of water sources, such factors being valuable in the reduction of CO2, disaster-prevention and the protection of living creatures. The total number of trees planted thus far reached 31,012 with the 16th planting of seedlings in fiscal 2023.
Biodiversity conservation activities that have been underway since 2012 have been continued through each team's ingenuity while taking infection control measures during the coronavirus pandemic. They have also been working on their own self-imposed activities while also maintaining self-created biological encyclopedias and plant encyclopedias. We continue to enjoy our activities.
In January 2016, Yokohama Rubber's Mie Factory and Ise City signed an agreement regarding environmental education, and continued activities such as factory tours, tree planting experiences, and biodiversity conservation activities at the Mie Factory, targeting five elementary schools in Ise City. We look forward to hearing from you.

In addition, immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Mie Factory employees conducted volunteer activities to support recovery efforts in Onagawa Town, Oshika District, Miyagi Prefecture, and continued to support recovery efforts by sponsoring the Onagawa Spring Festival.
In addition, we have resumed active activities as local volunteers in cooperation with the government and neighborhood association.
We will continue our efforts to be a plant that is loved and trusted by people in the region.

Organizational Governance

Thorough compliance policies

All Mie Plant employees are issued with “compliance cards” and are familiarized with the Yokohama Rubber Group compliance guidelines, and with the availability of contact points for discussing compliance-related issues.
Compliance committee meetings made up of managers are held monthly to report workplace inspection results, share information, and consider and implement stratified training.

Organizational self-corrective functions

We established a suggestions box in the plant’s cafeteria, enabling us to receive feedback from employees. In addition, as we continue to operate the employees' web-based consultation service, which was established independently by the Mie Branch of the labor union, we carefully handle the opinions and requests we receive and continue to work with the Mie Branch of the labor union to make the service useful for the sound management of the organization.
Furthermore, we conduct compliance training for managers and supervisors at least once a year.

Human Rights

Education on respect for human rights

We distribute compliance cards to employees and promote the importance of respecting human rights.

Labor Practices

The basics of safety and health

In 2006, the Mie Factory acquired OSHMS (Occupational Safety and Health Management System) certification based on the JISHA (Japan Industrial Accident Prevention Association) method and has been promoting activities. Aiming to be a company with high.
We became the first domestic factory to obtain JISQ45100 certification in July 2024. We will promote this with the aim of improving social credibility, improving employee satisfaction, and strengthening market competitiveness. The factory's safety and health policy states, ``Ensuring the safety and health of workers is the basis of everything, and in order to prevent industrial accidents and create a workplace that is healthy and comfortable for both mind and body, we strive to improve occupational safety through consultation and participation of workers. We will implement and operate the hygiene management system appropriately and effectively, and build a workplace culture in which everyone prioritizes safety and health above all else.

Creating safe equipment

Using risk assessment methods, we are promoting the identification, evaluation and improvement of potential danger sources; we are also implementing measures that include the isolation of sources for danger from work areas and promoting the creation of people-friendly facilities.

Safety awareness

We pursue safety as a top priority under all circumstances. Specifically, we have shifted from collective guidance to individual guidance, and we conduct one-on-one safety education, dedicated safety time activities, and reviews of work procedures in open work observation.
In addition, we view successor development as a priority issue, and we are working to improve skills through various types of training.
We conduct activities suitable for the mind of each and every individual through thorough decluttering and organizing and the revitalization of communication.

Creating energetic workplaces

We give a variety of different awards even for small achievements. We do this irrespective of what job titles recipients hold. Numerous improvement suggestions from the factory floors have been successfully developed into safety enhancement measures by encouraging people to challenge themselves, rather than fear failure.
As part of our efforts to promote health, we have introduced a health app to help each and every employee work in good health. By planning and participating in "walking events" linked to the app to improve health, participants can have fun while becoming more aware of their own health and improving lifestyle-related diseases.
Additionally, in order to reduce the smoking rate among employees, we set a starting point of 49.7% smoking rate in 2016, and have been implementing various initiatives since then. We have worked to reduce the smoking rate by setting three morning no-smoking days each month, implementing a six-month no-smoking campaign, and holding non-smoking seminars sponsored by external organizations, resulting in a rate of 43.7%.
In 2024, we plan to continue the activities, extend the time of the non-smoking day, and make people aware of the harmful effects of smoking in order to reduce the smoking rate.
In addition, the purpose is to plan and implement improvements to the workplace environment to ensure the health of workers in the summer, conduct inspections between labor and management, regularly measure WBGT, and provide workplace safety personnel with specialized knowledge on heat stroke countermeasures to learn and put into practice. 52 people attended the "Heatstroke Prevention Ambassador Training Course" and are currently engaged in activities.

Employment of people with disabilities

Regarding employment of people with disabilities, as of the end of December 2023, 19 people (employment rate 2.17%) are employed. We continue to offer internships and work to expand employment in order to deepen our relationships with local special needs schools. However, there were no internship results in 2023.

The Environment

Environmental management

Environmental Policy

Our goal is to embody consideration towards the global environment according to the norm of “Deal fairly with society and value harmony with the environment,” which is declared in the management policy of the company.

  1. The Mie Plant, under the direction of senior management, works on measures taking the environment into consideration in all areas of our business.
  2. The Mie Plant works to deepen channels of communication with its stakeholders; it also promotes cooperation with the value chain and contributes to both the local community and society.
  3. In order to remain trusted by the community, we appropriately implement our environmental management system and continue our efforts to prevent environmental pollution and improve the environment.In addition, we will continue to reduce our environmental impact through chemical substance management, aiming for zero environmental risk.
    We observe applicable laws, regulations and agreements.
  4. We comply with related laws, regulations, agreements, etc., and continuously engage in environmental improvement activities.
  5. To maintain biodiversity, we strive to protect and revitalize the indispensable nature of the local ecosystem and the Miya River which runs into Ise Bay, and we also participate actively in community environmental activities.
  6. Aiming to maintain the trust of the local community by fostering harmony with the natural wonders of the divine capital of Ise, all of us working at the Mie Plant implement education and awareness raising.
  7. We shall value information from residents when carrying out regular plant improvements.
  8. To fully realize our environmental policy, we formulate environmental objectives and targets and draw up and implement environmental plans.
  9. This Environmental Policy shall be made public.

January 1, 2024
Mitsugi Dairaku,
General Manager,
Mie Plant, The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Environmental data

Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions
  • The base year is de¬ned as 1990 except for HFC, PFC and SF6, where the base year is 1995 as per the Kyoto Protocol.
  • Method of calculation of greenhouse gases (GHG): this is in compliance with the “Calculation and Reporting Manual for Greenhouse Gas Emissions” issued by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
    Note that GHG emissions associated with purchased power were calculated using the Table of Emission Coeffi¬cients by Power Company (Ministry of the Environment).

Effective use of resources / Reduction of waste

Waste output
Water usage

Measures for discharge into water, air and soil

Data related to water contamination

Move the screen to the left or right to see the table information

Drain Item Regulatory values Voluntary standard values FY2023 results
Average Maximum Minimum
Mie Plant Drain 1 pH 6.0～8.0 6.5～7.8 7.2 7.5 7.1
BOD concentration (mg/l) 20 5 1.3 4.7 0.5
COD concentration (mg/l) 20 5 1.7 4.6 0.7
SS concentration (mg/l) 40 5 1.1 2 1
Oil concentration (mg/l) 2 1.6 0.5 0.8 0.5
Mie Plant Drain 2 pH 6.0～8.0 6.5～7.8 7.2 7.3 7.2
BOD concentration (mg/l) 20 5 0.5 0.8 0.5
COD concentration (mg/l) 20 5 1 1.7 0.8
SS concentration (mg/l) 40 5 1 1 1
Oil concentration (mg/l) 2 1.6 0.5 1 0.5
Air Pollutants (NOx, SOx)

Move the screen to the left or right to see the table information

Substance NOx SOx
Amount of emission (t/year) 2 ―
Facility Substance Regulatory values Voluntary standard values FY2023 results
Average Maximum Minimum
Mie Plant
Cogeneration 1		 SOx emissions (m3N/h)
NOx (ppm)
Soot and dust (g/m3N)		 3.4
100
0.05		 1
90
0.01		 0.403
21.8
0.002		 0.436
26
0.004		 0.362
16
0.001
Mie Plant
Cogeneration 2		 SOx emissions (m3N/h)
NOx (ppm)
Soot and dust (g/m3N)		 3.4
100
0.05		 1
90
0.01		 0.4
12.75
0.003		 0.456
19
0.007		 0.35
9
0.001
Mie Plant Boiler 3 SOx emissions (m3N/h)
NOx (ppm)
Soot and dust (g/m3N)		 1.0
130
0.1		 1
120
0.01		 0.015
68
0.005		 0.02
77
0.005		 0.01
59
0.005
Mie Plant Boiler 4 SOx emissions (m3N/h)
NOx (ppm)
Soot and dust (g/m3N)		 1.5
130
0.1		 1
120
0.01		 0.04
65
0.005		 0.05
75
0.005		 0.03
45
0.005

Reporting on chemical substance management status

The Mie Plant verifies whether all materials handled at the plant (raw materials, secondary materials, and auxiliary materials) contain chemical substances subject to Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements, and in the case of substances where the amounts handled exceed the thresholds specified by the PRTR Law, annual reports are submitted to the national (or prefectural) authorities and safety impact assessment is performed. Regarding the handling of substances pursuant to the PRTR Law, please refer to the Safety Evaluation Table of Domestic Production Bases.
In addition, to enhance the overall level of chemical substance management, we conduct compliance verification by implementing chemical substance assessment that covers risk of adverse impact on employee health, risk of explosion or fire in relation to equipment and machinery, and environmental risk.

Efforts for Biodiversity Conservation Activities

At the Ominato Coast, one of our biodiversity activity bases, our employees gave an annual class for 4th graders of Minato Elementary School. The class included a talk on the creatures of the Ominato Coast, removal of non-native species of Japanese knotweed, and beach cleanup.

Coastal cleanup at a delivery class

Group photo of the delivery class

Now that the coronavirus has calmed down, we were able to hold the tree planting experience and biodiversity conservation activity experience that we had previously held. Preparations are underway to continue the event in fiscal 2024. We are also planning and preparing for the activity report meeting that is held every six months.

Monitoring (sandy soil survey)　

Sea turtle hatching survey

Noise, vibration and odor

Noise

Noise management is implemented at the boundary of the premises of the plant (18 points) and autonomous measurement is conducted once a month.
In addition, measurements are conducted by an outside company twice a year at the boundaries of the factory premises (at four locations).

Vibration

Vibration management is implemented at the boundary of the premises of the plant (14 points) and autonomous measurement is conducted once a month.

Odor

Twice a year, external contractors conduct measurements at the factory site boundaries (4 locations).
Our response involves the installation of deodorizing vaporizers in building ducting.

Comments and information from local residents from the past and our response

We installed the fifth phases of anti-scattering nets at the site boundary to prevent leaves from trees on the plant site from being blown into neighboring residences by the wind.
We also disinfect trees in the spring and fall to prevent insects from flying into neighboring houses every year.
We respond to information from residents in a timely manner and value communication with local residents.

Fair Operating Practices

Certification of new business partners

Guidelines are established on compliance with human rights, legal compliance, and safety and environmental activities, etc. when business is to be commenced with a new business partner. Based on such points, the approval processes for the appointment of a new procurement partner are undertaken, and interviews are conducted while various materials are referred to. It is through this process that business partners are selected.

Communication with business partners

Together with our business partners, we participated in the Setagawa Tanabata Grand Cleaning.
We held safety study sessions and shared the Mie Plant's environmental policy.
The CSR study session was sponsored by the Hiratsuka Procurement Department and held online.

Consumer Issues

Safety and quality of our products and services

Using as a pillar the principle of “creating quality through the eyes of the customer,” at the Mie Plant we promote the continuous improvement of products and services by leveraging the quality management system ISO/TS 16949 (moved to ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 from June 2018) as our operational basis. We regularly confirm the effectiveness of this system through internal systems audits and external reviews that are conducted every six months.
In addition, by using “Quality Maintenance Activities” to ensure effective self-directed quality management throughout the entire production process, etc., we position quality as customer safety while working to ensure that all employees are conscious of the “eyes of the customer” being on them.
With respect to products, we are actively working to further reduce our environmental impact by increasing the production ratio of tires with reduced rolling resistance, improved wear life, superior rehabilitation, and ultra-wide base tires.

Community Involvement and Development

Relationship with local societies

Regional exchanges

February 11th: Participation in Takamukai Taisha Festival
May 5th Fureai Festival
July 1st Exhibited at Takayanagi Night Store
July 15th: Sponsored the National Fireworks Festival dedicated to Ise Jingu Shrine
September 23rd: Exhibited at Misono Town Fureai Festival
Banner support for local adult soccer club “FC Ise Shima”
We are focusing on regional exchange through the activities mentioned above.

Social contribution activities

Regarding donations to the Ise City Social Welfare Council, which we do every year, we donated a portion of the proceeds from the Fureai Festival, which we were able to hold for the first time in four years.
Regarding blood donations in 2023, 96 people were able to donate blood during the three times in January, May, and October.
As an initiative to play a role in the event of an emergency, we have set up AED tie-up advertisements at Kintetsu Ise-shi Station from October 2023.

April 24th: Tire donation to Mie Kotsu Co., Ltd. EV bus

Regional volunteers

May 20: Zero garbage early morning cleaning (around Ise City Station)
July 2: 28th Setagawa Tanabata Grand Cleaning
July 22: Ominato Beach Cleanup
Oct. 9: Exhibited at Ise City Environmental Fair
Dec. 3: Volunteer water supply at the Oise-san Marathon

Opening of facilities

We have lent our grounds for use by a regional soccer club (ISE YAMATO).

Environmental activities

FY2023 (16th period) - 8 tree-planting activities in the Forever Forest Program
Mar. 7: Support for tea replanting in Wtarai Town
Apr. 27: Cleaning of the Hinokijiri and Hotosu Rivers
May 24: Donation of eco-friendly tires for the electric buses in Ise City
Jun 5: Cleaning of Ominato Beach in Ise City
Nov 15: Environmental outreach lessons at Minato Elementary School

Corporate forest tree planting

Plant tour and workshop

In fiscal 2023, with the post-coronavirus era, we received many requests for factory tours, and 18 companies, 5 elementary schools, 1 university, and 5 others visited.

Please contact us below if you would like to participate in a plant tour and workshop.
Holding Day: Monday to Friday (Except for year end and New Year holidays, consecutive holidays in May and August)
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Contact: Sugihara, Operation Section, General Affairs
Tel: +81-596-28-3151