Green Logistics

We are expanding efforts to unload imported products manufactured overseas at ports closer to the regions where they will be sold.
Previously, products were unloaded at ports in the Kanto and Kansai regions, stored at Global Logistics Centers (GLCs) in Chiba and Hyogo prefectures, and then supplied to regional distribution centers according to demand. We are now increasing the proportion of products unloaded at ports closer to their sales regions, thereby reducing transportation distances within Japan and lowering CO₂ emissions. For small and medium-sized products, however, demand in each region for a single product category was often insufficient to fill an entire container. As a result, these products first had to be delivered to a GLC and then transferred to each region. Fiscal 2027, we will take the lead in consolidating multiple product categories in their countries of origin. This will establish a system that allows shipments to be unloaded at ports in each region even when demand for an individual product category is insufficient to fill a container. We will also improve the accuracy of regional demand forecasts to reduce transfers between domestic sites when inventories become unevenly distributed.

Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd. is introducing and expanding the use of trucks powered by renewable biogas to reduce CO₂ emissions from logistics. In fiscal 2025, the company began proof-of-concept operations of heavy-duty trucks powered by biogas in collaboration with EcoTruck Co., Ltd. The trials examined the feasibility of stable transportation, fuel economy, and applicability to transportation routes. The results confirmed the potential for CO₂ emissions during driving to be regarded as zero while maintaining payload capacity and transportation quality equivalent to those of conventional diesel trucks.

Based on the knowledge gained through the trials, Panasonic Energy has gradually expanded the routes and number of trips using biogas-powered trucks since 2025 and is moving forward with a full-scale rollout for scheduled transportation. In collaboration with its existing logistics network and partner companies, the company is implementing operations that balance reduced environmental impact with transportation quality while taking cost implications into consideration. Biogas is a renewable fuel produced from organic waste. It also helps reduce environmental impact by making effective use of waste and promoting collaboration with local communities. Panasonic Energy will continue to advance environmentally conscious logistics that contribute to a decarbonized society by combining the use of rail transport with the introduction of next-generation environmentally friendly vehicles.

In addition to the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Panasonic ARCHI Skeleton Design Co., Ltd. recognized the difficulty of maintaining a logistics system dependent on conventional truck transport as Japan's "2024 logistics problem" became increasingly apparent. The company had therefore been considering measures to achieve more sustainable logistics. Meanwhile, Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) was also seeking to promote the use of its services, as low freight volumes on routes from Kyushu to Honshu made the effective use of containers a challenge.
Against this background, the interests of the two companies aligned, and they agreed to jointly pursue a modal shift to resolve their respective challenges. Many of the Techno Beam products being transported are in the four-meter range, with some measuring approximately six meters. The companies therefore examined transportation methods capable of accommodating these products without placing an excessive burden on the manufacturing plant. As a result, they selected a three-side-opening, 31-foot container that allows cargo to be packed and loaded in the same manner as a 10-ton truck, with priority placed on maintaining workability equivalent to truck transport.
The Techno Beam loading procedures were also standardized in a manual, establishing a system that enables any driver to handle pickups reliably. In addition, the introduction of protective material (corner guards) eliminated work at height, improving safety and streamlining cargo-handling operations. Production plans were also revised to reflect rail transportation lead times, and a system capable of accommodating delays was established. These measures reduced CO₂ emissions by approximately 86% and truck drivers' working hours by approximately 90%, while putting approximately 260 31-foot containers per year that would otherwise have been repositioned empty to productive use.
This initiative received the Special Award at the FY2026 Green Logistics Partnership Awards, organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Japan Federation of Freight Industries, and the Japan Institute of Logistics Systems.

To help realize a circular society, Panasonic Corporation's Kusatsu Site has collected used cooking oil since 2010.
The collected oil is recycled into biodiesel fuel and used to power vehicles operated by Kinki Environmental Conservation Co., Ltd., which collects waste generated by factories at the site.
In fiscal 2026, 2,380 liters were collected. The initiative extends beyond the workplace to employees' households. As an activity in which employees can participate as part of their daily lives, it helps deepen understanding of resource circulation and raise environmental awareness.
The site will continue to work with local communities and partner companies to promote initiatives that combine the effective use of resources with reduced environmental impact.