Supporting Japan’s first business with “short construction period & cost” + “problem-solving ability

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Facility development is a major concern in new business planning. When it comes to unprecedented projects, there are many uncertainties and people tend to be cautious.　In this context, the “Bamboo Frontier” project, the first of its kind in Japan utilizing bamboo, started in Tamana City, Kumamoto Prefecture, is attracting a lot of attention.

Our industrial membrane structures were used in the construction of that facility, so we spoke with Hiroyuki Yamada, the chairman and representative director of Bamboo Frontier Co.

New project to create a stir on the problem of devastated bamboo forests in various regions

Q. Please tell us about the business you have launched this time.

This project started with the idea of solving social issues such as the problem of degraded bamboo forests and the reduction of CO2 emissions by utilizing bamboo, a sustainable natural resource, in a comprehensive way, including material use and energy use, as well as the harvesting and collection of bamboo for continuous commercialization as a three-party integrated project.

Q. So you started from scratch to create the system?

Yes, many different companies have tried this, but we are the first to complete a factory in the trinity type. Even for energy use, the bamboo component was not suitable for biomass because it generates clinker, which damages the furnace. This time, we have demonstrated for the first time in the world that the generation of clinker can be suppressed by co-firing bark and bamboo. Many businesses in Japan have the same problem, so we believe that this will not only solve those problems, but also increase the need for this technology in the ASEAN region in the future.

Solving customers' facility maintenance problems with our "problem-solving capabilities

The fact that the company has not only been working on material development and energy utilization as part of its SDGs efforts, but has also commercialized the harvesting and collection of bamboo, shows that it is a business with a high degree of public interest. Nevertheless, it seems that there was a lot of hard work involved in bringing these projects to fruition.

Q Did you have any problems in terms of facility maintenance?

We introduced overseas equipment to the plant, but there were legal hurdles and other obstacles, and since this was our first attempt at this model, we had a hard time building it at a low cost above all. In that sense, Taiyo’s products were low-cost and had a short construction period, which matched our business. Initially, we had planned to use a major general contractor’s system construction for the main factory and beyond, but we even changed to tents.

Q. What were your impressions of the actual use of the product?

最初に実感したことは、工期が短い、コストパフォーマンスが良く、室内も非常に明るい。倉庫には最適だという印象を持ちました。明るい空間で作業性も良いので一気に設計段階から加わってもらい、倉庫だけでなく処理施設などさまざまな用途に取り入れました。中でも発電設備を覆った膜の建屋は画期的だったと思います。

発電施設を膜で覆うことは前例がなく、中のプラントに合わせて建物を設計し検討を行ってもらいました。役所側と何度も折衝を行い、最終的には屋根と壁を分割し、“爆発したら屋根だけが飛ぶようにして”役所承認を得ることができました。

Continuous support after completion through our relationship

Our work does not end with the delivery of the building. We strive to provide meticulous support so that our clients can use their properties with peace of mind over the long term.

Q Is there anything you would like to see more of in terms of facilities?

Since the product, wood board, absorbs moisture from the air, we do not know how seasonal variations will affect the moisture content of the stored material. The product itself is in the process of being verified for proper humidity. We believe that the product is safe because it has been used by paper companies, but if it causes any problems, we may need to take countermeasures.

Q Finally, what are your ambitions for the future?

Thanks to the support of our customers, our business has attracted the attention of society, with more than 600 groups visiting our facilities so far. Biomass power generation is stable, and there is a growing possibility that this model will expand significantly in the future. On the other hand, in the materials business, we have recently obtained ministerial certification for Nankan Board, a new material that makes use of bamboo, and we intend to continue acquiring JIS and other standards to promote this material to society.

Since this is our first project in Japan, we will do our best to make this bamboo project a success while overcoming the problems that lie ahead of us.

editorial postscript

In assisting with the construction of facilities for the Bamboo Frontier Project, we have worked to solve our customers’ problems by coordinating not only costs and delivery dates, but also negotiating with government authorities. As a result, the scope of our assistance has expanded to include product warehouses, wood processing facilities, product processing facilities, and even biomass power generation facilities using bamboo as fuel.

 

 

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