Shimano reduces water use and pledges plastic reduction

In its latest “ESG Sheet,” the company’s annual report on environmental, social and corporate governance initiatives, Shimano said it would reduce water consumption in its factories by about 7 percent by 2020, continuing a trend that began at least four years ago. The Japanese company that develops, produces and globally sells bicycle components, fishing tackle and rowing equipment also announced an action plan to reduce the use of single-use plastic in containers and packaging materials for its products. The report also said that Shimano is moving away from plastic for packaging. “In our search for alternative packaging materials, we continue to investigate materials that can be made available at a reasonable cost that will allow us to deliver products without compromising their value while delivering our message to customers. We believe the first step is to do what we can to realize a sustainable society while gaining customer support and empathy.”