Building Energy Infrastructure to Support Local Communities
Our mission to ensure an uninterrupted energy supply. As a major LPG supplier, Iwatani contributes to safety and security in local communities by enhancing the networks that ensure the delivery and stable supply of fuel and promote disaster preparedness. We are also leveraging the technologies and networks accumulated in our LPG business activities to ensure a brighter future for our communities in disaster preparedness, services that contribute solutions to community issues, and various other aspects.
MaruiGas supports households across Japan
As a highly portable and eco-friendly energy source, LPG supports the lives of about one-half of all households in Japan, based on a supply network that covers about 95% of the nation’s highly divergent terrain. A vital element of community energy infrastructures, LPG is widely used in commercial, industrial, automotive, and other settings.
Iwatani supplies LPG under the MaruiGas brand—Japan’s leading LPG brand—to more than 3.3 million households and a wide range of other users across the country from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south. We plan to work to improve supply reliability still further and to continue promoting use of LPG, a general purpose energy source that helps reduce our environmental footprint.
Core LPG Centers are critical components of a stable supply structure
The reliable operation of LPG refueling stations, which provide high-capacity storage and handle the filling and shipment of individual LPG containers, is essential to maintaining a reliable supply of LPG, even in the event of an earthquake or other disaster. By developing core LPG centers—LPG refueling stations featuring enhanced seismic resistance—Iwatani is striving to make its LPG supply network even more resilient and dependable. In addition to the enhanced seismic resistance of their LPG storage tanks and refueling equipment, core LPG centers feature automatic gas dispensers and LPG-powered emergency generators that allow operation even during power failures. We are striving to maintain a structure resistant to potential gasoline shortages in the event of a disaster by increasing the percentage of LPG delivery trucks used to deliver gas from core LPG centers to users powered by LPG itself. Currently, Iwatani operates 97 LPG refueling stations across Japan, 53 of which have been converted fully into core LPG centers. We have 96 LPG filling stations nationwide, of which 56 are designated as core LPG centers.
The Support Team for Your Community Helps Keep Communities Safe
MaruiGas distributors across Japan draw on their individual sales and distribution networks to carry out activities under Anata-no Machi-no Sapototai (Support Team for Your Community) banner and to help keep their communities safe and secure. These activities include participation in programs such as Kodomo 110-Ban no Mise (Store Acting as Emergency Call Center for Kids), Ugoku Kodomo 110- Ban (Mobile Emergency Call Center for Kids), and Hitokoe Yobikake Undo (Call-Out Campaign). Our goal is to contribute to the community while engaging in LPG delivery and everyday business operations by reporting and rescuing lost children and exchanging greetings and communication with members of the community.
Gas-Safety Techniques and Expertise
Iwatani has established its own comprehensive safety standards, known as the Iwatani Safety Specs (ISS), based on safety techniques and expertise amassed by LPG business. We use these standards to strengthen our LPG safety operations. Kanden Gas Support Co., Inc., a joint venture with Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., uses these reliable safety services to support safety and security in city gas services.
Tele-Safe 24-Hour Central Monitoring System
Designed to ensure gas safety in real time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Tele-Safe connects gas meters at customer homes via telecommunications lines to the Iwatani Call Center, a central monitoring center. On detecting a gas leak or other abnormality, the system automatically shuts off the gas supply and notifies the Iwatani Call Center, allowing staff to respond quickly to the incident. This system also helps avoid interruptions of gas service and enables automated meter reading. We are also introducing services based on this technology, including Mappy Safe, a service that sends text notifications to mobile phones if any gas abnormalities are detected or if no gas is used for extended periods.
Iwatani GateWay IoT Platform
In July 2021, we launched the Iwatani GateWay service, our unique Internet of Things (IoT) platform that adds communication functions to household gas alarms. We are striving to develop new services to deliver solutions that address various community issues, including safety and health management services and home delivery services for seniors, by linking the Iwatani GateWay system to emergency services to enable emergency response in 30 minutes or less. As a comprehensive energy lifestyle service provider, we will also seek to deliver solutions that enrich our living environments, including voice-based services in joint efforts with local governments and service improvements in joint efforts with local governments and other businesses.
