Wednesday, March 29, 2000

Polyethylene telephtalate

Mazda will start to use uniforms that are made of "fabric recycled from plastic bottle made from polyethylene telephtalate (PET)" for production employees in April. Mazda has been taking various corporate actions, which are "aiming to promote environmental protection and contribute to a better society", and the adoption of the plastic bottle made from PET fabric is part of these environmental actions. The fabric used is a blend of 70 % plastic bottle made from PET recycled material and 30% of cotton. To make one uniform set with plastic bottle made from PET recycled fabric, approximately ten 2-litre plastic bottles made from PET are needed. Among newly hired employees who will join Mazda in April, approximately 400 production and engineering workers will start to wear this uniform. Current employees who are in charge of engineering, development or production will change to these new uniforms when their current uniforms need to be replaced.

With the adoption of this new uniform, we will put an "Eco-mark" recognized by the Japan Environmental Association on the upper part of the right arm sleeve of the uniform, and an "environmental symbol mark" by which we appeal our environmental conservation activities, on the same part of the left sleeve, to enhance our recognition of the environment. In addition, we will change the corporate mark put on the left side of the chest to one that incorporates the brand symbol.

While Mazda has been making efforts to develop cars using clean energy, including fuel cell cars, we also have been taking actions actively for the reduction of CO2 emissions, recycling of resources and effective use of by-product materials that are brought by production activities. In addition, in order to contribute to the creation of a cleaner society and establish a system by which we can correctly control the environment, the Nishinoura Plant in Hofu acquired the certification of ISO14001 in September 1998, and our goal is to receive the same certification for all facilities in the Hiroshima district by this June.

Tuesday, March 28, 2000

Mazda Year 2000 Activities Plan

The Mazda Foundation (Chairman: Mamoru Takebayashi) has announced its year 2000 activities plan. The activities plan provides two types of assistance. One assists the promotion of science and technology research activities, and the other youth projects. The total budget is 62.4 million yen.

Characteristics of activities for this year are as follows:

1. Assistance for research regarding science and technology that focuses on "Engineering including Inverse, Recycling Technology and Energy Saving" (application for assistance began last year), and expanded assistance for studying recycling systems, and other research. Assistance for research was limited to specialized research, but now is expanded to themes of investigation. Application for assistance starts at the end of this April. The expected number of projects are between 20 and 25, the total budget for which is 33 million yen.
2. For the fifth and final year of assistance for Higher Education in Asian countries, "The Second International Roundtable Conference for Communication in Asia through the Next Generation" is planned to be held jointly with Hiroshima University. The total budget is three million yen.
3. Assistance for research regarding youth related projects changed directions to focus more on pragmatic research for the purpose of activating citizen activities. Application for assistance starts at the end of April. The expected number of projects are two or three. The total budget is two million yen.
4. Support for citizen activities aimed at fostering youth with a total amount of five million yen for 15 projects in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures was decided.
5. The lectures at five universities will be expanded to two more universities. The two universities are Hiroshima Shudo University and Kinki University. A unique lecture (titled "Volunteer") will start this spring at Hiroshima Shudo University. The lecture is offered for credit at private universities in Hiroshima prefecture. Through attending the lecture, university students will actively participate in real volunteer activities for elementary and middle school students such as "Private School Michikusa," which is organized jointly with Hiroshima City Citizen & Community Network Foundation.

The Mazda Foundation's goal is to share prosperity with all people, and contribute to the creation of a society where people can live contentedly. It was established in October 1984. Including this year's activities, a total of 781 activities have been supported with a total contribution of 790.5 million yen.

Monday, March 6, 2000

Changes in the plant operations

Mazda Motor Corporation today announced changes in the plant operations as follows.

1: The Ujina Plant No.2 in Hiroshima will return to a day-shift operation effective in April 24.
2: The H-1 Line at the Hofu Plant will suspend night-shift operations for four weeks from April 10 to May 12.

These actions are being taken to ensure plant operations and run efficiently and in line with sales requirements.
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