Archive for the ‘Clean Operations’ Category
Spotlight on the new full hybrids – made in a plant near you soon!
Posted by Colin Hensley on September 29, 2009 in 360° approach, Clean Operations, Green Technologies
Sunday saw the closing of the doors of IAA in Frankfurt for another two years. It’s probably one of the biggest motor shows in the world. I don’t know if it has the largest number of visitors, but it is definitely, geographically, huge! I just measured it on Google Earth (50° 6′40.39″N, 8°38′43.52″E), and it’s more than a kilometre across, which goes a long way to explaining why my legs still ache following our 3 days of activities. Anyway, it was a very exciting show for us, as we had two cars on the Toyota stand and one on the Lexus stand that were being seen for the first time ever, anywhere!. Perhaps the best part of this is that all three are hybrids. As most people don’t get the chance to go on the IAA exercise programme, let me just do a bit of product PR, and give a few details on these cars.
Our locally produced highlight is the Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept. It’ll be made in the TMUK plant starting next year. I hope to have the chance to visit the plant during the preparations for the production. After visiting Tsutsumi earlier in the year, I can’t wait to see one of our European Sustainable Plants producing this new full hybrid.
The Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept also proved to be of great interest to the visitors. Our target for CO2 emissions for this car is under 60g/km with a 20km range. One of my colleagues who drive the car recently in Japan raved about the seamless acceleration up to100km/hr in EV mode.
On the Lexus stand we had the LF-Ch concept, which was displayed in an amazing yellow colour. This is the first concept in the C-segment, and should be a stylish and practical option for people.
Finally, I’d just like to say congratulations to the source of many great blog topics, Karen from TMUK, who just celebrated her marriage to Darren; have a great eco-life together.
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Comments(1)Sustainability reporting, more sustainably
Posted by Colin Hensley on September 04, 2009 in Clean Operations
So, the holiday season has come to an end, and the weather here in Brussels has taken a turn for the greyer and wetter. During the last months my colleagues here have been working on the 2009 edition of the TME Sustainability Report. One thing was clear from the start, it was time to move to have online as our primary communications channel for the report. We previously did have a PDF version on the website, but we were also printing copies. This will no longer be the case, for the FY2008 report, there will be a PDF, but perhaps more importantly all of the content will be fully incorporated into the Toyota corporate website. The report details environmental, social and economic activities of Toyota in Europe, including case studies. We’d love to hear your feedback on the report, either here, or through the addresses on the website.
Speaking of environmental activities, TMUK have been continuing to live up to their sustainable plant title. In the summer they held an Environmental Day, and Eco Plant Expo, which was attended by more than 3000 people. As well as showing off eco-kaizens in the plant itself, there was a nature trail around the balancing lake area and there was even a tree planting event. Visitors also had a chance to drive the lowest CO2 vehicles in our fleet. All in all it was a very educational and enjoyable day out.
Let’s not forget the new Auris HSD full hybrid will also be produced in TMUK. The concept will be on show for all to see in Frankfurt at the IAA.
See you there!
Clean-up the World – One forest at a time!
Posted by Colin Hensley on February 06, 2009 in 360° approach, Clean Operations
I don’t like litter, it irks me to see it lying around, thrown down or especially if I ever see it being thrown from a car. Littering shows a lack of respect for others and for the environment. So I was pleased when I recently heard from a friend in our CSR Division about an initiative that is being supported by TMIP (Toyota Motor Industries Clean Poland,) and Toyota Fund for Europe called Clean-Up the World.
In the late autumn last year, almost 120 people, including 55 children and 47 volunteers from the plant took part in a clean-up of the forest that borders the TMIP plant in Jelcz-Laskowice. Following a presentation explaining the fragility of such forest ecosystems, the volunteers carefully worked their way through the forest for the next hour. During that time they collected almost 220kg of waste!! They also planted 142 seedlings along the border of the TMIP.
This kind of initiative is great when the children are involved, as they can feel communal ownership of the nature around them, and we hope will then take the initiative in future to do more things like this.
