Relationships with Local Communities and International Communities
Basic approach to contribution to local communities
Under the credo of “Collaboration” in NTN SPIRIT, the Group has defined “We take care of the natural environment and maintain coexistence with local community” as one of our guidelines. As well as contributing to society through our businesses, we are promoting various activities rooted in each area of the world toward achievement of SDGs.
People and communities connected by “NTN Rotating School”
Aiming at coexistence with local communities, we launched “NTN Rotating School” in 2017 as a place for interaction between employees and local people and development of the next generation. This is a moving school with the concept of providing a place for children who will lead the next generation to enjoy learning the environment and energy saving. So far, school events have been held more than 40 times, with participants over 17,000 in total＊, contributing to strengthen the bonds with a wide variety of people in each region.
＊The number of participants in events organized by the head office
Check here for more details of NTN Rotating School → https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/rotatingschool/index.html
Head office tour
In December 2023, a tour of the head office was held to deepen understanding of the workplace among employees’ families. Some 40 family members participated in our move to new offices in August 2023.
During the tour, our employees became teachers and held the “NTN Rotating School” for the families to enjoy learning about bearings, with a program that included a bearing assembly workshop, a rotating musical instrument craftsmanship session and a friction reduction workshop. To see the children working so hard in the bearing assembly workshop, an activity that is difficult even for adults, was most impressive, all amid the sound of the rotating musical instrument makers who were spinning their metallophones using bearings. At the friction reduction workshop, a log was laid on a float ridden by an adult and pulled by a child, showing everyone the joy of low friction.
The families received insights about the role and mechanism of bearings, and got a glimpse of the atmosphere of the workplace, which is not usually possible.
■Rotating School at the head office tour
Activities around the regions
Japan
NTN Casting Corporation used to dispose of all the dust from the casting sand it uses to make foundry molds (“slag”) in landfill sites in Shimane Prefecture. However, due to new restrictions on what can be accepted to landfill in the prefecture, since 2022 NTN Casting Corporation has been disposing of some of its slag in other prefectures, raising disposal costs.
This was recognized by the Shimane Pig Iron and Casting Industry Association, of which NTN Casting Corporation is a member, as a common challenge facing all affiliated companies. Through the conference of casting companies in Shimane Prefecture and their related businesses, the association led a public-private consortium in a project to recycle slag as backfill material for use in waterworks and as fill for land development. NTN Casting Corporation has also installed in-house equipment to add insolubilizing materials that suppress the leaching of heavy metals to the slag and prepare it for delivery to recyclers. Since October 2023, this process has been in full operation and with the cooperation of the local community, more resources are being reused and recycled, waste is reduced and slag disposal costs have been reined in.
■Slag after insolubilization
■Recycled matter used in roadbuilding
Americas
In September 2023, NTN Sudamericana, S.A took part in “Relay for Life”, a FANLYC charity event. FANLYC is a non-profit organization that supports families and their children who have been diagnosed with leukemia and other cancers. This event was held as a walking relay along 3km of the Cinta Costera III, or circular coastal beltway on the shores of Panama Bay. Every time a participant or team completes a circuit, they donate $5. Since 2022, NTN Sudamericana, S.A has been supporting the same children. This year, some 50 employees from NTN Sudamericana, S.A and Colon Warehouse and their families walked or ran more than 200 times around the circuit. For every circuit they made around the Cinta Costera III, the company also made a donation.
Enjoying the event together with thousands of volunteers, they provided support to many children battling leukemia and other cancers.
■The team from NTN Sudamericana, S.A and Colon Warehouse
■The children being supported by NTN Sudamericana, S.A
Europe
Industry Week 2023 was held in France from November 27 to December 3, 2023. The week has been held since 2011 with the main objectives of promoting understanding of the industry and profession, career advancement, and recruitment. This year, more than 5,500 events were held across France, providing opportunities for young people and job seekers to meet industry players.
NTN TRANSMISSIONS EUROPE also held a half-day open house at the Allonnes Plant on November 28, which was attended by 22 people. Participants were divided into two groups, with one group touring the factory, and the other group receiving an NTN Group presentation, and a briefing on products and jobs in the conference room. Through these visits and discussions, they developed an understanding of this rapidly evolving field, specialization and knowledge, and the required skills.
The Industry Week 2023 open house captured the benefits of NTN Group and proved to be time very well spent for the participants.
■Open house participants
■Open house invitation
Asia
NTN Korea Co., Ltd. provided technical support to students of Ulsan, Pukyong and Busan universities competing in the KSAE Baja/Formula, a self-made car competition for university students held in August 2023. KSAE stand for “Korean Society of Automotive Engineers”. Prior to the competition, teams from each university had been making various preparations, such as designing new frames to improve the performance of their vehicles. In line with the preparations, NTN Korea Co., Ltd. provided bearings to the students as well as technical support such as teaching bearing basics and giving guidance on assembly. At the event in August, the team’s efforts paid off, and four teams back by NTN, from Ulsan University and Busan University, won prizes in recognition of their design and performance on the track.
The careful preparation of the teams and their hard work during the competition produced superb results. NTN was also able to promote itself through taking part in the competition and create strong relationships with university students through its proactive engagement in the local community.
■Competition day at the track
