Innovative New Vending Machines That Shift Power Use for Cooling Purposes from Daytime to Nighttime; Coca-Cola Japan Announces Market Introduction of "Peak Shift Vending Machines"
- Historic Innovation Marking 50th Year Since Vending Machines Were Introduced -
By: PR Newswire
Nov. 21, 2012 06:28 AM
TOKYO, Nov. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In the 50th year since it first introduced vending machines onto the market, Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd. (head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; representative director and president: Daniel H. Sayre) announced what could be called the most innovative vending machine in these past 50 years, "peak shift vending machines," on November 19.
The "peak shift vending machines" announced by Coca-Cola Japan, which has long been involved in implementing environmental measures before other companies, "shift" the use of power for cooling from the general daytime "peak demand period" to nighttime, when relatively less strain is placed on power supply. In summer, these machines can provide cooled products for 16 hours while reducing daytime power consumption by 95%. Power consumption is also reduced in winter by 20% compared to current vending machines and, combined with power consumed for cooling, these vending machines are a global forerunner that can reduce power consumption by 68%.
The "polar bear" character that has appeared in product promotions by the Coca-Cola system worldwide since 1922 was used in the design for the vending machines. In recent years, concerns have arisen regarding reduced numbers of polar bears caused by the progress in global warming. Therefore, while also reminding consumers that the products are chilled, polar bears transmit the image of these peak shift vending machines also being friendly to the environment.
In the first year of peak shift vending machines' introduction from January to December 2013, it is planned that more than 10 billion yen in related investment will be made and that 25,000 units will be installed nationwide.
As a leader in the vending machine business that must further respond to the needs of the market and consumers, Coca-Cola Japan will continue to implement further innovations while promoting the installation of these vending machines.
The next speaker, Koji Sugimoto, General Manager of the Food & Beverage Distribution Business Group, Engineering Department at Mie Factory from Fuji Electric Company, Limited said that "the development of the peak shift vending machines, which began in May last year, two months after the Great East Japan Earthquake, required bold shifts in thinking and technological innovation. Firstly, we had to change our view on cooling in general. Conventionally, power consumption is controlled by only cooling the minimum amount of products necessary. However, peak shift vending machines brought forth the idea of cooling all products during the night and not allowing that cool air to escape during the day. This was realized with improvements to thermal insulation and airtightness. The use of large amounts of vacuum insulation materials, which boast 10 times greater thermal insulation performance than conventional urethane materials, successfully resulted in the cooled products themselves maintaining the cool air environment within the machines. Our efforts were spurred by the stance of Coca-Cola Japan as a societal leader, to become involved in the development of these new vending machines. As these peak shift vending machines become accepted by society, I believe that they will become a standard in the beverage industry."
Finally, Representative Director and President of Coca-Cola West Company, Limited Tamio Yoshimatsu concluded: "As a corporation in close contact with local communities and as Japan's largest bottling company, we have actively led the industry by implementing power conservation measures given the unstable power supply following last year's earthquake disaster. As environmental awareness and peoples' power conservation stance increase, we are proud to present these 'peak shift vending machines' as an answer to the needs that consumers, customers and society have been seeking from the Coca-Cola system as an industry leader."