News：Establishment of Plant Factory Demonstration and Development Center
Establishment of Plant Factory Demonstration and Development Center in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo
～Toward Creation of a More Optimal Cultivating Environment～
Taikisha Ltd. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President: Toshiaki Shiba) will establish a plant factory demonstration and development center in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo (operation start scheduled for February 5, 2018) for its plant factory business. The new facility is designed to strengthen responses to the needs of customers for conducting demonstration experiments under various cultivation conditions.
Background and Purpose of the Demonstration and Development Center
Since 2010, Taikisha has been conducting research and development of Vege-factory, a hydroponic plant factory using only artificial lighting, and has a track record of receiving orders of six factories in Japan and overseas. In this business, Taikisha has become the first in the world to achieve stable mass production of crisphead lettuce and provided one-stop integrated support services to customers, from production to processing.
The need for assurance of safe and high-quality vegetables has been more and more growing in recent years. The domestic market (total production value) for lettuce produced in plant factories using artificial lighting only is estimated to more than double over the next five years. In addition, with the growing needs of vegetables for business and processing use, the market is expected to continue growing at a similar pace thereafter.
In order to respond to such market trends and meet every need of customers promptly and accurately, Taikisha will establish a new research facility in Tokyo to enable speedy responses, in addition to our existing research facilities.
The purposes of the new facility are to have our customers observe the cultivation conditions for mass production of Taikisha-brand vegetables, and to conduct various demonstration experiments by responding flexibly to the needs of customers. These include experiments for quality improvement undertaken in different cultivation environments, mass production technology, and new product development. Taikisha will aim to make this facility open to the local community.
Outline of Plant Factory Demonstration and Development Center
- Location
- 1-6-1 Shingashi, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo (located 12 minutes’ walk from Takashimadaira Station and about 2km from the Takashimadaira Interchange)
- New building
- Steel construction, one story above ground, total floor space: approximately 450 m²
- Facility configuration
- Cultivation demonstration facility, element technology development demonstration facility, processed product development facility, showroom, and office
- Investment
- Approximately one-hundred million yen
Policy for the Future
Taikisha aims to develop a technology to ensure mass production of large-size lettuce, about three times as heavy as ordinary lettuce, for commercial use without changing product quality or cultivation period. Taikisha will also achieve full automation of plant factories in order to meet both of growing social demand for safe and high-quality vegetables and market needs for a stable supply of vegetables for commercial use, including for restaurants and convenience stores. Taikisha believes it will thereby be able to achieve a reduction in production cost per head of lettuce and a significant improvement in production efficiency.
Taikisha will continue to make efforts to improve brand awareness of Vege-factory and deploy safe and secure plant factories in Japan and overseas.