Procurement Section, Supply Chain Management Department
Weaving the Future with Trust and Co-Creation: The Efforts of Nagase Viita's Procurement Section
The Procurement Section of Nagase Viita's Supply Chain Management Department does far more than simply secure raw ingredients and materials efficiently. We place importance on cultivating visible, face-to-face relationships with suppliers, building trust, and creating a sustainable future together. Though procurement is often regarded as a routine administrative function, it is in fact a field with the potential to greatly shape the future. We consider mutual understanding with suppliers to be the foundation of our procurement activities. By sharing values and aspirations through dialogue, we believe stronger partnerships can be built. This intention is embodied in the Supplier Guidelines, which we established in 2024 as a roadmap for sharing our values and vision.
First Step Through Collaborative Dialogue: Reciprocal Site Visits to People and Workplaces
The Procurement Section conducts reciprocal visits with suppliers to foster dialogue-based communication. Recently, we welcomed a delegation from the Aicello Group to our Okayama Plant II, following our own visit to AICELLO PACK CO., LTD. in October last year, serving as an important continuation of this exchange.
AICELLO CORPORATION supplies us with unprinted polyethylene tubes used for packaging pullulan and maltose. Because these tubes come into direct contact with products, high quality is essential. While typical plastic bags often contain additives (for antistatic properties, etc.), which may later migrate to the surface, the tubes we receive from AICELLO are additive-free, made solely from polyethylene.
AICELLO's Partnership in Supporting Nagase Viita Quality
At the Okayama Plant II, the polyethylene tubes are supplied in rolls one meter wide and 300 meters long. When setting these rolls on equipment, delicate adjustments to winding tension are critical: too strong and they tighten or wrinkle; too weak and slack or misalignment occurs. AICELLO not only delivers products but also collaborates with us in examining and adjusting the winding method to match the equipment's characteristics, making them an irreplaceable partner that truly supports Nagase Viita.
Future Insights from Site Visits
During the recent visit, both sides exchanged views on how the tubes are used and the challenges encountered in daily operations, continuing the lively discussion even after returning to the conference room. The session extended well beyond its scheduled time, offering highly meaningful engagement. Detailed explanations of tube manufacturing provided valuable insights available only through this type of direct interaction.
Through mutual learning with AICELLO and other partners, we apply such insights to achieve sustainable procurement. We believe these efforts will lead to a better tomorrow for Nagase Viita, our partners, and society as a whole.
Earth-Friendly Choices: CSAP-Certified Raw Materials Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future
Nagase Viita manufactures trehalose and pullulan using starch as the raw material. In particular, the corn-derived starch we use is sourced from corn defined as sustainable under the Corn Sustainability Assurance Protocol (CSAP), which addresses environmental, social, and economic sustainability. CSAP, an international sustainability framework, supports compliance with global sustainability standards by ensuring soil health, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and traceability assurance in corn production. In addition to product quality and safety, we are strengthening our commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The use of CSAP-certified raw materials is an important step toward achieving a sustainable society that preserves the earth’s blessings for the future. We will continue to promote responsible procurement as part of this commitment.
Members of the Procurement Section believe that steady efforts hold the power to create the future. By deepening trust with suppliers, learning together, and working toward a happier future for people and the planet, we aim to build strong partnerships that will support the sustainable development of Nagase Viita and society in general.
