In recent years, an increasing number of companies have adopted "waterless printing," an environmentally friendly offset printing process, for their IR-related reports.

In recent years, an increasing number of companies have adopted "waterless printing," an environmentally friendly offset printing process, for their IR-related reports.
Kueisha, which pioneered waterless printing in the industry in 1986, has been actively cultivating new demand by promoting its environmentally friendly printing since 2000.
Hisayoshi Tabata, the company's president and representative director, says, "The many advantages of waterless printing: "The fact that we could obtain a clearer and more beautiful finish than with conventional water-based printing was a factor in our decision to introduce waterless printing.
At that time, the environment was not a socially conscious issue with regard to printing and printed materials.
For a company that had earned a reputation for color offset printing of posters, product catalogs, movie pamphlets, and other printed materials, quality improvement would enhance its competitiveness.
Hiroyuki Sakurai, General Manager of Sales Division 2, says, "Another advantage of waterless printing is that it is easier for operators to work during the printing process.
With water-based printing, the fountain solution always needs to be adjusted, but with waterless printing, the operator is freed from such complications.
It is inefficient to have two lines with different plate development processes.
The company's Chiba plant, which installed waterless presses, converted all four of its printing presses to waterless presses in 1998.
In the late 1990s, as large companies shifted to environmental management, Toray, which had developed the waterless flatbed press, began to push its sales strategy of zero hazardous waste liquids.
In the U.S., waterless printing had already been positioned as an environmentally friendly printing method since the Virginia Department of Environmental Improvement encouraged waterless printing in 1992 as a response to the enactment of the "Preliminary Treatment Standards" ordinance (1978) to control wastewater.
In 1993, the Waterless Printing Association (WPA) was established by printers and equipment manufacturers, and the butterfly mark was adopted as its symbol.
In 1999, Kueisha adopted soy ink, and in 2000, it set up an environmental promotion office in the sales division and began aggressive PR activities for environmentally friendly printing.
The government began to require listed companies to prepare environmental reports, and environmental considerations were being made in printed materials for investors, so we targeted this demand.
We were particularly pleased with the response from large companies that had acquired ISO4001 certification," recalls Tate Tomita, manager of the Environmental Promotion Section.
Mr. Sakurai says that "the Ricoh Group, with whom we have had a long business relationship, was also a major factor in our efforts to promote environmentally friendly printing.
In 2002, at the request of Ricoh Group, which had been promoting advanced environmental management, Ricoh and Sakata Inx jointly developed 100% vegetable oil ink (non-VOC ink) exclusively for waterless printing.
This ink is used in the group's product catalogs and environmental reports.
In 2005, the company obtained Ricoh Group Chemical Substance Management System (CMS) certification, which is known for its rigorous screening process.
Many of the group's business partners are particularly concerned about printed materials such as CSR reports and internal company newsletters for Europe, where regulations on hazardous substances are being tightened," says Mr. Tomita, adding that greening of printed materials is inevitable in order to compete in the international market.
The environmental friendliness of printed materials is indicated by the printing method, paper used, inks, and other factors.
In addition to the WPA Butterfly Mark for waterless printing, the company also uses the Soy Seal (a logo mark for soybean oil inks that can be used by members of the American Soybean Oil Association) and the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification mark (Chain of Custody certification) on printed materials at the request of customers. With waterless printing as the pillar of its business strategy, Kueisha is building a system that can cover all aspects of information media from planning to production based on printing.
Environmentally friendly printing is not only one of its business strategies, but also plays a role in enhancing corporate value.