R&D addressing market and technological changes and environmental issues

「The product was adopted at the Hokkaido office of Nikken Sekkei, a major domestic architectural firm, and contributed to improving insulation performance toward achieving Hokkaido's first Nearly ZEB certification.」

「Although construction plans have been revised or postponed because of persistently high construction-material prices and labor shortages, wood-and-aluminum composite insulated doors and windows remain strong, supported by accelerating timber use toward a decarbonized society and growing demand for highly insulated building materials for ZEB conversion. Wood-based construction is also progressing in the offices and facilities of private-sector companies, expanding adoption of wood-and-aluminum composite insulated products and driving sales growth.」

「In the agricultural materials business, the company developed a new series of low-temperature storage units called “Aji no Shinsenzo,” with improved operability and quality. Changing the cooling unit from the previous model improved cooling capacity while achieving energy savings.」

「Momentum behind timber use has continued to build against a backdrop of efforts to achieve a decarbonized society, and demand for our core wood-aluminum composite insulated joinery using timber remained firm.」

「Momentum behind timber use has continued to build against a backdrop of efforts to achieve a decarbonized society, and adoption of our core wood-aluminum composite insulated joinery using timber has increased in private-sector buildings as well as public buildings.」

「Wood-aluminum composite insulated joinery is one of the products that contribute to achieving a decarbonized society. Sales remained steady, supported by its low CO2 emissions during manufacturing, increased timber use and growing demand for highly insulated building materials toward achieving ZEB (net zero energy building) standards, although some projects were delayed until the second quarter or later.」

「Sales of large properties using wood-aluminum composite insulated joinery increased against a backdrop of carbon neutrality.」

「Orders for wood-aluminum composite insulated joinery exceeded plan as timber use in large buildings became more active toward achieving a decarbonized society.」

「As the government's carbon-neutrality declaration accelerated efforts to achieve a green society through decarbonization, timber use attracted growing attention and adoption of the company's products was on an upward trend. However, the business fell below the previous-year level because of timber supply shortages and price increases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the so-called "wood shock," as well as higher prices for construction materials such as steel and extended construction periods caused by delivery delays.」

「Amid growing momentum for timber use following the government's carbon-neutrality declaration and its policy of reducing CO2 emissions, the wood-and-aluminum composite insulated doors and windows business...」

「Orders for wood-aluminum composite insulated doors and windows generally progressed smoothly, supported by the relatively steady start of public construction projects and the growing movement to promote the use of timber following the government's declaration of its aim to achieve carbon neutrality and a decarbonized society.」

「The Altus Wood Window series has added NWW (Newsto Wood Window) to its product lineup, featuring an insulated aluminum frame and a solid-wood shoji panel to emphasize the use of wood throughout and improve insulation performance. The company is continuing to expand the lineup.」

「The Air Conditioner Freshener business performed steadily, helped by the effect of launching new products compatible with new refrigerants for automotive air conditioners.」

「The company developed a fully separated two-circuit machine compatible with both the conventional HFC34a refrigerant gas and the new lower-environmental-impact HFO-1234yf refrigerant gas, which suppresses greenhouse effects. The two gases are kept separate to enable safe work without mixing them.」

「A new type of insulation material was adopted in the model change for low-temperature storage units, providing sufficient cooling performance even in recent extremely hot conditions while improving energy efficiency.」

「The company actively pursued proposal-based sales of wood-and-aluminum composite insulated doors and windows, supported by the promotion of locally produced timber and mandatory energy-efficiency standards. Completion of a large project using timber from Nagano Prefecture made a substantial contribution to sales.」

「株式会社ニュースト manufactures and sells wood-and-aluminum composite insulated doors and windows, reflective sound-absorbing equipment and protective lattice doors for gymnasiums. Sales have remained strong, supported by the promotion of locally produced timber and mandatory energy-efficiency standards. Demand has also grown for protective lattice doors in gymnasiums, which can serve as evacuation shelters during natural disasters, because they provide security as well as safety, ventilation and a blind effect, while withstanding impact loads.」

「The housing industry has increasingly called for insulation and energy efficiency, and mandatory energy-efficiency standards for non-residential buildings also took effect in April.」

「For Ball Guard, a protective lattice door for gymnasiums and martial arts halls, the company replaced the aluminum lattice with a wooden lattice at customers' request and won the 2016 Wood Design Award. To address expected growth in demand for timber use, it is working to standardize specifications including finishes and assembly methods.」

「The Building Energy Conservation Act, which will also apply to large buildings from April 2017, has come into force, and demand is expected to increase alongside efforts to promote the use of locally produced timber.」

「Inquiries for wood-and-aluminum composite insulated doors and windows have increased as the use of locally produced timber has been promoted, while the insulated system's contribution to CO2 emissions reductions has also gained recognition, raising expectations for higher orders going forward.」