Toyota Mobility Parts Gifu Branch Launches Heat Shielding Business to Tackle Summer Heat in Warehouses and Factories

Toyota Mobility Parts Gifu Branch (Located in Kakamigahara, Gifu; Branch Manager: Naotaka Nakanishi) has launched a 'Thermal Shielding Business' aimed at improving the workplace environment for businesses in Gifu Prefecture. This initiative is targeted at local businesses, such as automotive sales and service providers, focusing on providing localized solutions.

Due to record-breaking national heatwaves, worsening summer working environments in industries like automotive service, manufacturing, and logistics have become a critical issue. In addition to increased risks of heatstroke, the amendment of Article 22 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act in June 2025 has introduced new requirements for heatstroke prevention, demanding that companies create safer and more comfortable workplaces than ever before.

Background: Addressing Heat in the Workplace Attention to heat, cold, and ventilation is considered vital for creating safe, comfortable, and attractive workplaces. However, in many automotive service facilities in the prefecture, roofs and walls radiate intense heat, making summer working conditions harsh. Addressing this challenge by leveraging Toyota Group's expertise in process improvement, the branch moved beyond its traditional role of parts supply to create this business, driven by the desire to 'contribute to an environment that protects workers.'

A New Choice: Thermal Shielding The business introduces various products, including the 'ProX Heat Protector' thermal shielding sheet. This technology reflects solar radiation, suppressing heat infiltration into buildings. Since radiant heat accounts for approximately 70% of heat infiltration in typical buildings, blocking this at the source is highly effective. Furthermore, it can be installed on existing buildings without the need for large-scale renovations.

Installation Results and Future Outlook As of May 2026, installation is complete at two automotive service facilities in Gifu Prefecture. Users have reported 'improved sensible temperature' and 'enhanced air conditioning performance.' Going forward, the company will accumulate empirical data on temperature changes and the impact on work environments to verify effectiveness more concretely. It aims to expand the range of thermal shielding products to provide total coordination tailored to each workplace.

Expanding 'Environmental Improvement' from Gifu Toyota Mobility Parts Gifu Branch aims to act as a bridge, connecting regional businesses with optimal solutions. Starting with this thermal shielding business, it plans to expand workplace environmental improvement initiatives to broader sectors, including manufacturing and logistics, beyond the automotive industry. Creating environments where employees can work safely and comfortably is a critical theme directly linked to improving corporate productivity and securing human resources. The company will continue to promote new initiatives that contribute to solving the challenges of businesses in Gifu Prefecture.