Bridgestone is implementing strict energy-saving measures as it resumes production at four of its five plants affected by the Japanese earthquake.
The Tokyo-based tire and rubber company has asked employees at its office buildings and technical center to minimize their use of elevators, share office equipment and turn out lights wherever practical, Tire Business said. The firm is also shutting off billboards, minimizing the use of IT systems and closing its corporate museum, Bridgestone Today.
Japan has suffered from rolling blackouts since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and uncertainties over the country’s energy supply have continued as workers struggle to bring the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control.
The country is also suffering from limited train services, so many employees cannot get to work, the New York Times reports.
Bridgestone has restarted production at its tire plants in Tochigi and Tokyo, as well as its Kuroiso steel cord plants, Tire Business reported. The company also restarted partial production at its industrial products plant in Yokohama.
But the firm is still rescheduling production at its Nasu tire plant, after encountering problems when it attempted a restart on March 16.