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Nikon, which supplies its products worldwide, is working tirelessly to reduce the total environmental impact of its products and services through reuse and recycle of used products, paying strict attention to sales and distribution activities.
Since the year ended March 2001, Nikon has got in operation of collecting used steppers discarded by customers, then reproducing, reconditioning and reselling them for new users, in Japan and overseas, with appropriate services supplied. This is an example of Nikon's willingness and capability to reuse its own products and we can accomplish both social contribution and customer satisfaction through this business. Therefore, Nikon has strongly enhanced it while continuously reinforcing its reuse system as one of important operations to secure stable income, unlike new product business with wide variation in sales results.
Thirty-three steppers were shipped in the period from the year ended March 2001 to the year ended March 2003 followed by 46 steppers in the year ended March 2004, and 59 steppers in the year ended March 2005. Although fewer steppers were shipped in the year ended March 2008 than in the previous year, the total volume of shipments had reached 224 units by the end of the year ended March 2009.
In order to increase the efficiency of the reconditioning and reconfiguring business, Nikon is making efforts to upgrade the tools and equipment, improve procedures, standardize workflow, increase efficiency, and put in place a framework for technical troubleshooting.
NSR-2205i 12D (released in 1996) Highly popular in secondhand markets
Under the WEEE Directive*, European countries have been enacting their own laws and establishing systems for the collection and recycling of used electronic products. Following this trend, the Nikon Group—led by a subsidiary in the Netherlands—has been preparing nation-specific measures to meet collection and recycling obligations for digital cameras and other Nikon products.
By the year ended March 31, 2009, Nikon had established a collection and recycling system where subsidiaries are registered with collection organizations in more than 25 countries. Nikon's local sales companies and others shouldered a total of more than 16 million yen in the year ended March 31, 2009, for the collection of Nikon products in European nations. This figure includes only the costs that are officially recognized by Nikon. The Nikon Group is keenly aware of the importance of collecting and recycling used products and plans to continue taking appropriate measures in the future.