Snacks manufacturer Calbee’s new factory reflects plans to expand, with the new factory to be built in Hiroshima, where the company has said it originated.
The new factory is being constructed in Hiroshima City, and is scheduled to become operational in March 2025, with a total investment of 52 billion yen (US$365 million). It will reduce the company’s environmental impact and boost production efficiency by introducing digital and eco-friendly equipment.
The new factory will not only increase capacity to produce its existing products – which span snack and cereal products – but also play a role as a hub for developing human capital, to establish a next generation production system while exploring new technologies and business opportunities.
To reduce environmental impact, the company has said it will make effective use of resources including waste heat, waste water and other waste, as well as introducing renewable energy sources and a circular energy system. It will contribute to achieving Calbee’s 2030 goals of a 30% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions, 10% in waste generation and 10% in total water consumption compared with figures taken from March, 2019.
In addition to generating electricity at the site, purchase of renewably sourced electricity enables the factory to further cut down on CO2 emissions.
Productivity will be increased by utilising digital technologies and automated and labour-saving production lines. It will take the example of the next-generation factory model using IoT technology currently implemented at the Konan Factory in Konan City. This will promote more advanced quality control, low-volume manufacturing with greater efficiency and in the future, remote work through remote monitoring of production lines. All of these measures is expected to increase productivity per employee by approximately 60%.
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