Resource Circulation

“FOREMAST”, the demand forecasting and supply-demand planning solution offered by Canon ITS is widely used by companies as a tool for reducing excesses and shortages in inventory while enabling efficient and stable supply-demand planning operations. In addition to highly accurate demand forecasting based on past performance data, the solution combines AI and external data such as weather information to accurately identify factors affecting demand fluctuations and help prevent overproduction and inventory shortages. By reducing the disposal of products and raw materials through this tool, the solution promotes the effective use of resources and supports the realization of a circular economy. One example is a company operating a food service business. The company faced challenges because supply demand planning and procurement operations of raw materials and supplies for its franchise stores relied on the knowledge and experience of individual employees. By introducing “FOREMAST”, the company achieved greater operational efficiency through the automation of supply demand planning, while reducing the risk of raw material shortages and food loss.

Canon MJ’s logistics centers across Japan use stretch film to prevent loads from collapsing during transit and use expanded polystyrene as packaging materials, and these materials end up as waste. Instead of throwing these materials away as plastic waste, for over 20 years, we have been working to make effective use of them, selling them as plastic resources. As a new initiative, from April 2025, we began utilizing ink cartridges for inkjet printers that had been returned due to damaged packaging or other issues, in test operations at the repair center of Canon Ecology Industry Inc. In 2025, a total of 1,148 ink cartridges were effectively put to use. 

The Canon MJ Group collects Multifunction Peripherals (MFPs), printers, and other end-of-use products that have been used at offices and other locations from customers. In collaboration with Canon Ecology Industry Inc. (the Canon Group’s recycling center) and other companies, we work to recycle these products. We aim to maintain a recycling rate^* of 99.9% or higher for end-of-use products. The recycling rate has been kept at 99.9% or higher since 2017. To continue maintaining this level, we identify risks, address them and evaluate our progress on an ongoing basis.