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Updated on May 29, 2026 Logistics Safety

Logistics Safety

　To ensure the safe and reliable delivery of chemical products, it is essential to maintain a high level of safety at every stage of transportation and storage, while preventing accidents and effectively managing risks. Based on the principles of Responsible Care and our guiding principle that “Safety is the Cornerstone of Everything We Do,” the Kuraray Group continuously promotes initiatives to enhance logistics safety. These efforts include providing accurate information on the transportation of hazardous materials, maintaining close collaboration with logistics partner companies, and conducting various training programs.

  • Through initiatives for sustainable logistics such as the “White Logistics” initiative, we aim to reduce the workload of drivers and warehouse workers, thereby contributing to improved logistics safety.
  • Collaboration with logistics partner companies plays a particularly important role in Kuraray’s logistics safety activities. At the Logistics Safety Council, held regularly, we share accident cases and implement preventive measures across operations. We also discuss emergency response systems in the event of an accident and conduct reporting and emergency response drills. In addition, each business site  engages in activities such as safety councils with logistics partner companies, sharing issues/incidents/near-miss cases, and inspecting hazardous operations at logistics sites to strengthen our logistics safety and quality management systems.

　We will continue to focus on ensuring logistics safety and to cooperate with internal and external related organizations, with a target of achieving a zero level of significant accidents.

Kuraray Logistics Safety Conference holds a study group regarding ISO containers used to transport products made of hazardous materials at Kashima Plant.

Meeting on Safety and Healthy Council, Transportation and Operations Subcommittee were held at Niigata Plant.

Toward Sustainable Logistics

　Japan’s domestic logistics sector is currently undergoing a major transition. Key challenges such as a severe shortage of drivers and strengthened regulations aimed at improving working conditions and addressing excessive working hours are making it increasingly difficult to maintain traditional logistics systems. Under these circumstances, building stable and sustainable logistics operations has become an urgent issue for companies. In particular, shippers are expected to take proactive measures, including reducing truck waiting times, improving load efficiency, and streamlining cargo handling operations. 

　In response, the Kuraray Group is promoting the following initiatives:

  • Improvement activities in line with the Voluntary Action Plan for the Proper Management and Productivity Improvement of Chemical Logistics formulated by the chemical industry
  • A modal shift from long-distance truck transportation to rail and maritime transport
  • Reduction of truck waiting times through the introduction of a truck appointment system
  • Improvement of truck loading efficiency and reduction of warehouse workload by securing appropriate lead times

Efforts on “White Logistics”

　In 2022, Kuraray agreed and announced with the aim of “Declaration of Partnership Building” established by the Council on Promoting Partnership Building for Cultivating the Future, whose members include the Chairman of the Japan Business Federation, the Chairman of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chairman of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, and related ministers (Cabinet Office, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism). As stated in this Declaration of Partnership Building, on September 30, 2019, Kuraray sponsored a voluntary action in support of the White Logistics Movement.
　The White Logistics Movement works on securing logistics needed for citizen life and industrial activities in a stable manner and contributing to economic growth by improving productivity in truck transportation and logistics efficiency as well as achieving a fairer work environment where everybody including women and drivers in their 60s can work comfortably in response to the intensifying shortage of truck drivers. To expand the movement, Kuraray shares the details of its Declaration of Voluntary Activities related to the White Logistics Movement both internally and externally with business partners and is taking initiatives to help the movement to solve problems.

Kuraray’s Declaration of Voluntary Activities Related to the White Logistics Movement

　Kuraray endorses the White Logistics Movement and declares to take the following voluntary actions mainly by reviewing its transportation mode and securing safety:

1. Proposals and cooperation in improving logistics:We are open to sincere discussions on improvement proposals from logistics companies.
2. Utilizing pallets, etc.:We will strive to mitigate cargo handling man-hours.
3. Consolidating storage locations:We will eliminate loading at multiple locations to reduce binding hours and improve efficiency.
4. Improving transportation efficiency:We will further expand our modal shift from trucks to ships and railways.
5. Avoiding congestion:We will avoid traffic congestion of the Port of Keihin.
(Switch the port of product export from our Kashima Plant from the Port of Keihin to the Port of Kashima)
6. Standardizing logistics systems:Provide shipping information online in advance to facilitate shipment arrangement.
7. Safety measures for cargo handling:We will improve the shipping and filling equipment for hazardous materials and review the procedure.