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Spina promotes diversified business development as a comprehensive service business

Founded in 1952 as a real estate rental building business, Spina Co., Ltd. is currently developing a diversified business based in Kitakyushu as part of the Nishitetsu Group. In addition to the real estate leasing business, we are developing a wide range of industries such as construction business, building maintenance business, automobile business, product sales business, environment-related business such as greening construction and maintenance and management of green spaces. We are also involved in the catering and restaurant business. The company's basic philosophy is to become a people-friendly company by continuing to provide business and living amenities while revitalizing the region.

The company's business is a comprehensive service industry that conducts diversified business development. For example, when building maintenance related to real estate, it not only provides services such as renovation and exterior construction, but also improves real estate value including sales of fixtures. One of our major strengths is that we can provide a variety of services that are useful for everyone. In addition, it is also characterized by unique business development that is different from general real estate leasing business, such as managing complex commercial facilities that attract multiple stores.

Task

Consider measures against infectious diseases in physical spaces during the corona crisis

With the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the world, companies are implementing various methods to combat infectious diseases, and the company has also implemented various forms of measures. "In order to prevent the infection of our employees, we have implemented basic measures such as thorough hand washing and the installation of acrylic boards, and we have created an environment where we can communicate with customers using web conferencing tools. ,” said Yasuhiro Tsuru, general manager of the general affairs department.

However, not all exchanges can be completed online, and some face-to-face meetings are required, so it was necessary to take measures against infectious diseases in the meeting space where meetings with business partners take place. Mr. Tsuru looks back on those days.

In reality, although we were taking measures with human resources such as disinfecting with chemicals, we were able to introduce equipment to efficiently disinfect while continuing physical disinfection work. Creating an environment was also required. “We have implemented hardware countermeasures such as installing a filter at the air outlet of the air conditioner to prevent bacteria from being sprayed, but the filter will inevitably need to be replaced periodically. There are also approaches such as manually disinfecting doorknobs. Although it is important, we also considered ways to eliminate bacteria in a way that requires as little effort as possible,” says Tsuru.

selection

Evaluating the ability to constantly disinfect by using wavelengths that are visible light but have a sterilizing effect

At that time, a company that operates a bus business within the group asked if there was a system for constantly sterilizing bus equipment. Therefore, I called out to multiple companies that had solutions and actually received explanations of the products. “We were shown several products, but basically all of them are types that irradiate ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet irradiation has a wavelength that affects the human body, so it is difficult to constantly disinfect in the first place. There were many conditions that had to be cleared, such as the fact that there was a problem,” explains Toshiyuki Handa, General Manager of the Construction Equipment Department.

Under these circumstances, Macnica Circular Economy Business Division proposed the white LED disinfection lighting "VioClean®" from Gtech Solutions Inc. (Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan). VioClean® employs groundbreaking technology that uses visible light while emitting light with a disinfecting wavelength, which was an unprecedented approach. "We checked the actual device in advance, and there was no difference from lighting with a normal white LED, so there was no sense of incongruity. We thought it was an attractive product from the perspective of not making people in the area aware that they were disinfecting," said Tsutome.

Also, the unit price per unit of lighting fixtures that use ultraviolet light is high, but VioClean® can be installed and deployed at less than half the cost of general disinfection equipment that uses ultraviolet light. However, although the effect data was shown on paper, it was necessary to verify in advance how much it would lead to disinfection and virus inactivation. Therefore, they decided to adopt and verify VioClean® with a view to selling it in-house in the future.

Current operation

It is important that the room is always disinfected and that it can be used daily without any adverse effects on the human body.

Currently, in the meeting room used for meetings, etc., 8 VioClean® lights are installed in the same place as the downlights so far. It is operated in an energy-saving sterilization mode that can sterilize with . The installation itself can be done in about half a day, so if general electrical work is possible, it can be installed immediately.

Since it was in the trial operation stage when it was first installed, there was no company-wide notification of disinfection using VioClean®, but members who used the meeting room before the notification did not raise any particular concerns about VioClean®. "The design is the same as the lights we've used so far, and the color of the lighting doesn't look out of place, so no one notices that it's been sterilized. We've taken safety measures without anyone noticing. above all else,” said Tsuru.

He says that the introduction of VioClean® has made it possible to provide a sense of security, such as allowing customers to use the room with peace of mind even during face-to-face meetings. In addition, since VioClean® enables continuous disinfection, it will be possible to reduce the current manual disinfection work. Mr. In addition, we are also looking forward to other effects besides disinfection, such as a deodorizing effect by suppressing bacteria.

Macnica can be praised as a company that offers advanced proposals to meet the needs of the times through semiconductors. In addition, his style of presenting in an easy-to-understand manner to the field was also cited as one of the points of evaluation. “When I first visited our site, I was honestly surprised that they went out of their way to bring a demo machine of VioClean® with me.I was impressed by how kind they were, including visiting the site many times. I am also grateful to you,” said Handa.

from now on

For deployment in spaces with insufficient ventilation and increasing the value of real estate operated by the company

Currently, installation is limited to meeting rooms, but there are meeting areas in the headquarters that do not have windows and are not sufficiently ventilated. We would like to consider the deployment of VioClean® mainly for such spaces. Mr. Tsuru says, "We would like to actively expand this to places without windows, including sales offices, as well as other spaces." In addition, they are eager to consider reducing the risk of infection among employees by deploying VioClean® in the office spaces where employees usually work.

He also points out that there is ample potential for VioClean® to be deployed in the real estate leasing business that the company is engaged in. “There are many shared spaces in the real estate properties that we manage. As part of creating a safe and secure environment for tenants, we are also developing an environment that can be disinfected with VioClean® at all times. I would like to consider it," Tsuru said. He said that he would like to continue to actively use VioClean® in the future, with a view to developing it as a value-added service for rental properties.

Related product

Patent white LED sterilization lighting VioClean®