Business　Basics

【Bottling process of Suntory Whisky KAKUBIN】 【Strict Inspection of Product Quality】

Suntory's main business are;

　　・Foods and beverages business
　　・Restaurants, Fitness, Flowers, Other services business
　　・Liquors business
　
In the Suntory Group, Suntory Liquors Limited - Azusano-mori plant (here in after Azusano-mori plant) was developed in 1977 as the largest production facilities of spirits business. 　
Since then, as a bottling plant of manufacturing Whiskies, Brandies, Sho-chu･Wines and Chu-hai, the number of production lines had been increased from 2 to 8 lines as currently available.

Current production of product items has been reached to 489 items in 2010.
Not only the number of variations of liquors, but also in the number of type of containers and its sizes for such as bottles, cans and paper packs and PET bottles, this plant is capable of producing wide varieties not comparable with other liquor manufacturers in the world.
　
Azusano-mori plant is build in a vast land area of 610,000 square meters. This is almost 13 times of Tokyo Dome. This plant actually called "Plant of Forest" with having 80 % of the site covered with forest.

Tochigi Prefecture and its Business Environment

【Overview of Azusano-mori Plant Surrounded by Forest】

Tochigi prefectures is one of the top production region of wheat, and Suntory had been operating Kanbaku Corporation who creates malt from germinated wheat and drys it in Utsunomiya since long before.
That fact leads us to develop a plant newly in Tochigi City.

Azusano-mori plant has the advantages of;
　　・Better transportation access to the Tokyo metropolitan area
　　・Good quality of water
　　・Rich agricultural produces
　
In closely located to the Tokyo metropolitan area, and by having the Kitakanto Expressway in recent years with providing a good access to both Gunma and Ibaraki prefectures, are advantageous for us.
As Azusano-mori plant is covering whole East Japan as it's territory, it is very convenient to deliver the products made in the plant by taking the Tohoku Expressway, railways, and car ferry from Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture.
　

Made in Tochigi

【Chu-hai made of Tochigi Produce】

Azusano-mori plant delivers liquors to all areas in Japan except beers, mainly East Japan. The 2/3 of Suntory's liquors (except beer) are produced in here. Suntory liquors on your table might be made in Tochigi.

In 2010, the highest production volume was recorded by the 30% increase sale of "KAKUBIN" whisky, one of our main product promoted by a tasting style of "High ball".
Taking this opportunity of whisky's revival on "High Ball, and to promote "KAKUBIN"as a MADE in Tochigi product produced in Tochigi plant, we are pursuing to improve the quality at the point of drinking by jointly working with our marketing division. 　
Also we are producing Chu-hai made from "Tochiotome" or "Akinashi" produced in Tochigi, and are planning to promote local production and consumption by the corporation with Tochigi Prefecture and our product development division.

Contributing Local Community

【Azusano-mori Nature School】

We have many activities, and some of them are introduced in here.

We participated for the Tochigi food-milage reduction challenge business, in the Global warming gas reduction section and Food-milage reduction section, and have been awarded the best prize at the Food-milage reduction section in 2010.
In the project;
　　・Achieved the target of increasing of Tochigi made products from 45% to 55%..
　　・Achieved 90% of eaten ratio by applying the reservation system for meals.
　　・Pursuing a reduction of the remained food.
　　・Providing special menus in a newly created day of "Strawberry" or "Dried gourd ".
　　・Promoting Tochigi made products, by listing all Tochigi made agricultural products in the menu board one by one, with utilizing the explanatory materials of Tochigi made products.
　They were well accepted, and has been awarded by the Governor of Tochigi, Mr.Fukuda.

In August 2010, during summer holidays, some pairs of parents and students of elementary school were invited, and provided with the opportunity to learn the importance of works by visiting work places. "Suiiku" programs which educate the importance of water for students also held at the same time.

We provides plant tours for students in elementary schools and junior high schools as a part of an education of the occupation. 　A plant tour for adults is not available, but if you wish, please contact us. We may study it.

Our plant provides a place for a music festival in Tochigi City.
Also, by having birds sanctuary inside the forest of the plant, we are supporting the activity of placing a nesting box for pupils. 　As titled in Azusano-mori nature school, an education program to educate the importance of nature for children, having them feel nature by their own five senses, has been developed from 2003 by utilizing the rich natures in the plant.

Comments for the People in Tochigi

【Masao Iyuka, Plant Manager 】

Azusano-mori plant is employing a lot of local people. We have our company's employees of 85, 3 representatives, and about 350 workers in manufacturing and transportation. Tochigi people are hard working and very talented people.

Suntory Group is posting the corporate philosophy of "Harmony with people and nature" with delivering the corporate message of "Suntory, bringing water to life" continuously.
As a corporation delivers the natural blessing of water, we are committed to protect the most precious resources of water, and at the same time the message contains our wishes to be like the water which brings welfare for community by living together with society.

In our plant, we have environment policies of environment conservations such as a reduction of CO2, and natural environment protections while sustaining water.
By keeping comfort and safety first in our mind, not only living together with nature and communities but also with aiming to further reduction of environmental impacts, we strive to continue our production activities trusted by our customers.

At last, it had been 34 years already since we had developed Azusano-mori plant in Tochigi.
It is very much appreciated if you could enjoy our products made in Tochigi by recognizing Suntory's liquor plant is here in Tochigi.