Recycle (Japan)
Nikkei Ecology, February 2002 |
Mass production of a digital copier that uses 87% or more reuse parts is realized. Ricoh reports on its recycle business development. |
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The manufacturing process of recovered digital machines at Recovery Centers "Tohoku Ricoh Co.,Ltd."
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Ricoh, a company that aims to be an environmentally advanced corporation, has developed a digital multifunction machine (imagio MF6550RC) that has accomplished 87%*1 or more of reused parts*2. And it has realized its mass production so as to respond to highly environment conscious customer demand. In comparison to the previous model that used original parts, energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and other forms of environmental impact in the whole life cycle are reduced to 50%*3. Production of a digital recovered machine that has advanced performance to meets market needs and excellent environmental performance is considered as an important step to establish Ricoh's recycling as a business.
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| Recycle technology/know-how fostered by conventional models is further developed. |
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In starting mass production of a digital recovered machine, the most important point was to upgrade collection and recovery technology. First, to collect used products in better condition, a transportation method was established for preventing damage or scratches by fixing moving parts and others and, at the same time, Ricoh taught collection staff to practice them. With regard to recovery, two technologies were developed. One is "diagnosis technology". The condition of the collected machine used under various environments is grasped and proper diagnosis is given to the part that needs replacement. The other is "dismantling technology". After repeated verification, an unexpected fact was found, that to stop dismantling at the unit level gives higher precision quality than to dismantle/clean each and every part. Thus, the technology to keep dismantling to the minimum was established.
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| Nationwide collection network is established and recycle information system is constructed, |
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| Recycling Infomation Sharing System |
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| Barcode data on recovered machines incoming and outgoing is shared in real time at the business sites along with inventory information. This data is centrally controlled. |
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Barcode data on recovered machines
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In order to develop a new collection system for realizing more efficient recycling, Ricoh considered it necessary to establish a collection information network. Thus, it constructed a "recycle information system" that could be shared among recovery centers and recycle centers the information of collection quantity and ratio through barcodes that registered model codes. Furthermore from April 2001, the information system for a new product sale run before was improved; and the system to register information of the model collected/traded-in at the time of new product delivery was introduced; and a national collection network was completed. Thanks to this, it became possible to have unified management of receipt/shipment/inventory information real-time among sales companies and recovery/collection/recycle centers. And mass production of digital recovered machines was realized.
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| Recycle business will further be expanded to realize environmental business management. |
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imagio MF6550RC An environment-friendly digital copier made from recovered parts that is to be marketed
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Ricoh has been striving for construction of an efficient recycle system as a part of its environmental conservation activities. It early succeeded in the development of analog recovered machines in 1997; and steadily accumulated performances as a pioneer of the industry. One of its performances is digital recovered machine we have now. To have this product used by more customers will simultaneously realize expansion of the recycle business and environmental impact reduction during the whole life cycle. It is one of the business models of ideal harmonization of business and environmental conservation activities. Ricoh will aim at higher quality "environmental business management" also for the future.
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In comparison to mass. |
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It is to remove reused parts from the collected machine to give recovery treatment and to reuse again. |
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Comparison is made for both models, converting to environmental impact in one year. The obtained data are calculated without the items in use. |
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