Akita Elpida Memory prioritizes harmony between its manufacturing operations and the environment.
As the core facility responsible for Elpida Memory's differentiation strategy in its back-end processes, Akita Elpida Memory focuses on DRAM circuit design, state-of-the-art process development, and productivity improvement. As the key facility responsible for developing and massproducing products that require state-ofthe-art packaging and advanced package technology, Akita Elpida Memory plays an important role in the Elpida Memory Group.
Accelerating the potential of eco products with resource-saving packaging
Akita Elpida Memory is responsible for producing chip-stacked packaging such as MCP, including development work to prepare for the mass production of TSV technology. The company helps improve the environment for all of society by expanding the potential of DRAM from packaging technologies and providing eco products that satisfy the requirements of being small, light, and low in power consumption despite a high level of functionality.
Packaging technology has evolved from the single-layer designs used in the past to methods that stack larger numbers of chips. A single package can yield the performance of its entire complement of stacked chips, earning our packaging praise as a resource-saving design thanks to the reduced mounting area it makes possible for products.
Improving emissions per unit of production volume
Akita Elpida Memory is reducing CO2 emissions per product produced (production volume unit: g-CO2/chip) by improving the plant's production effi ciency, upgrading air conditioning facilities, increasing production volume, improving bit integration, and other measures. The company was able to reduce emissions per unit production during FY2010 by 47% compared to 2007 levels thanks to lower energy consumption and increased production of highly integrated products.
Expanded production of MCPs
Akita Elpida Memory is striving to conserve resources by prioritizing the production of chip-stacked packaging such as MCPs. For example, the use of chip-stacked designs reduces resin consumption per chip by up to 66% compared to singlechip packaging. Resource effi ciency for FY2010 (derived by dividing the number of packages produced by the number of chips used) increased by 31% compared to FY2007 levels. We will continue to work to expand production of chip-stacked products to save resources.
MCP: Multi-chip package; one type of chip-stacked package.
Reducing waste
Akita Elpida Memory is working actively to reduce waste volume. In addition to serving to raise employee awareness, the company's efforts to communicate with area residents about reducing waste form a core part of its environmental activities.
Promoting use of waste as a valuable resource
Akita Elpida Memory is working to promote the use of waste as a valuable resource from the standpoint of both environmental responsibility and economics. We sell metal scrap, paper scrap, and waste plastic to recyclers for material recycling in a process that both saves resources by using them effectively and lowers waste processing costs. Although the slowing of the plastic recycling market since onset of the FY2009 global recession has made it diffi cult to secure a suffi cient number of purchasers, valuable resource sales increased slightly starting in FY2010 amidst signs of a nascent recovery. We will continue to promote use of waste as a valuable resource as an excellent way to use limited resources effectively.
Community contribution activities
Interacting with the local community through environmental education
The local environment is supported by its residents. We hold environmental classes at a nearby elementary school as part of an effort to help prepare people to fulfi ll that important role. Students learn about environmental problems through lectures and identify their own thoughts by organizing problem areas through the act of making presentations at debates. During 2010, we held a lecture and lively debate for fi fth-graders, with students of Akita International University (located nearby in Yuwa district) serving as instructors and learning facilitators. The class proved to be a growing experience for both the students and their teachers, and the two groups were able to deepen their bonds. Going forward, we will continue to offer learning opportunities such as this one in order to prepare local residents to play an important role in the environment and to promote interactions within the local community.
Raising environmental awareness through volunteer activities
Many volunteers are active in forest development activities in Akita Prefecture, which has the seventh most forested land of any Japanese prefecture at about 820,000 hectares. Akita Elpida Memory employees volunteer to participate in these activities in an effort to create a town and environment in which the beauty of nature is valued. During 2010, employee volunteers participated in pruning and thinning work to encourage the growth of young trees.
Our employees also participate actively in cleanup activities in Akita Prefecture. In April, they worked to beautify the area around the company as part of the prefecture's Akita Cleanup Month Campaign, and in July, volunteers participated in the Hamada Beach Cleanup Campaign, where the sheer volume of trash surprised them and inspired them to think anew about environmental problems. Going forward, we plan to continue to cooperate with local initiatives.
Environmental and Social Contribution Activity Highlights
| 2010 April | Social contribution: "Akita Cleanup Month Campaign beautifi cation activities" |
| May | Social contribution: "Recycling craft class" (Akita Prefecture Children's Hall) |
| June | Supporting elementary education: "Environmental class" Social contribution: "Forest development volunteering and pruning work" |
| July | Social contribution: "Hamada Beach Cleanup Campaign" Supporting elementary education: "Environmental class" |
| August | Social contribution: "Recycling craft class" (Akita Prefecture Children's Hall) Supporting elementary education: "Environmental class" Social contribution: "Recycling craft class" (family visit day) |
| September | Social contribution: "Forest development volunteering and pruning work" |
| November | Supporting elementary education: "Plant tours" |
| December | Donating calendars and notebooks to a charity calendar exhibition |