Ford aiming to cut per-vehicle landfill waste by 40 percent by 2016 [Video]

Ford is launching a new worldwide initiative to reduce its per-vehicle waste by 40 percent by 2016 compared to 2011 levels. The plan is part of Ford's new five-year global waste reduction strategy.

Ford announced on Wednesday that it is aiming to reduce the per-vehicle waste it sends to landfills from 22.7 pounds to just 13.4 pounds by 2016. That decline would match the 40 percent reduction in vehicle waste Ford was able to achieve between 2007 and 2011.

“Reducing waste is a crucial part of our strategy toward building a world-class manufacturing system,” said John Fleming, executive vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs. “By applying standard waste reduction processes across our global facilities, we are, through our actions – and not just words – improving the quality of life where we do business.”

Although Ford is touting the environmental gains of reducing waste sent to landfills, the initiative will also help the automaker's bottom line. Ford's recycling efforts in the United States and Canada netted the company $225 million in revenue last year.

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Japan In February 2013: Down 8 Percent

Japanese automobile sales were down eight percent in  February 2013, compared to the same month in the prior year. This according to consolidated data by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Mini Vehicles Association.

Regular vehicle sales Japan February 2013
Manufacturer	Feb ’13	Feb ’12	YoY	YTD ’13	YTD ’12	YoY
Daihatsu	159	287	-44.6%	354	486	-27.2%
Hino	3,523	3,094	13.9%	5,842	5,451	7.2%
Honda	28,736	50,440	-43.0%	49,696	94,709	-47.5%
Isuzu	4,417	4,657	-5.2%	7,512	8,101	-7.3%
Lexus	3,647	3,554	2.6%	7,211	6,712	7.4%
Mazda	15,720	14,115	11.4%	28,355	26,977	5.1%
Mitsubishi	7,063	5,655	24.9%	12,323	10,404	18.4%
Mitsubishi Fuso	2,602	2,638	-1.4%	4,219	4,646	-9.2%
Nissan	53,928	55,679	-3.1%	98,138	95,329	2.9%
Subaru	10,252	7,606	34.8%	20,339	13,523	50.4%
Suzuki	7,147	7,613	-6.1%	12,325	13,984	-11.9%
Toyota	135,475	158,877	-14.7%	240,830	283,510	-15.1%
UD Trucks	598	690	-13.3%	1,081	1,246	-13.2%
Other	19,132	18,308	4.5%	33,507	31,402	6.7%
Total	292,399	333,213	-12.2%	521,732	596,480	-12.5%
Domestic	266,704	308,392	-13.5%	476,053	553,722	-14.0%
Imports	25,695	24,821	3.5%	45,679	42,758	6.8%
Data courtesy Japan Automobile Dealers Association

Sales of regular vehicles, tallied by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, were down 12.2 percent, a sixth month of decline after the stop of government subsidies. Sales of imported vehicles resist the downtrend. In February, nearly 10 percent of all regular cars were made outside of Japan, 6.5 percent by non-Japanese makers.

Mini vehicle sales Japan February 2013
Manufacturer	Feb ’13	Feb ’12	YoY	YTD ’13	YTD ’12	YoY
Suzuki	52,090	52,018	0.1%	96,749	94,346	2.5%
Daihatsu	59,765	63,969	-6.6%	105,810	117,763	-10.2%
Mitsubishi	6,283	8,875	-29.2%	11,256	16,222	-30.6%
Subaru	5,212	9,572	-45.5%	8,917	18,327	-51.3%
Honda	37,663	26,715	41.0%	72,356	46,494	55.6%
Mazda	4,844	5,247	-7.7%	9,988	9,870	1.2%
Nissan	15,655	16,440	-4.8%	27,858	29,771	-6.4%
Toyota	3,414	3,574	-4.5%	6,159	6,273	-1.8%
Other	1	3	-66.7%	2	4	-50.0%
Total	184,927	186,413	-0.8%	339,095	339,070	0.0%
Data courtesy Japan Mini Vehicles Association

Sales of minivehicles, recorded by the Japan Mini Vehicles Association, were down slightly in February, and are flat for the year. Minivehicles  had seen growth in the past months, even after the subsides expired.

Total vehicle sales Japan February 2013
Manufacturer	Feb ’13	Feb ’12	YoY	YTD ’13	YTD ’12	YoY
Daihatsu	59,924	64,256	-6.7%	106,164	118,249	-10.2%
Hino	3,523	3,094	13.9%	5,842	5,451	7.2%
Honda	66,399	77,155	-13.9%	122,052	141,203	-13.6%
Isuzu	4,417	4,657	-5.2%	7,512	8,101	-7.3%
Lexus	3,647	3,554	2.6%	7,211	6,712	7.4%
Mazda	20,564	19,362	6.2%	38,343	36,847	4.1%
Mitsubishi	13,346	14,530	-8.1%	23,579	26,626	-11.4%
Mitsubishi Fuso	2,602	2,638	-1.4%	4,219	4,646	-9.2%
Nissan	69,583	72,119	-3.5%	125,996	125,100	0.7%
Subaru	15,464	17,178	-10.0%	29,256	31,850	-8.1%
Suzuki	59,237	59,631	-0.7%	109,074	108,330	0.7%
Toyota	138,889	162,451	-14.5%	246,989	289,783	-14.8%
UD Trucks	598	690	-13.3%	1,081	1,246	-13.2%
Other	19,133	18,311	4.5%	33,509	31,406	6.7%
Total	477,326	519,626	-8.1%	860,827	935,550	-8.0%

On a consolidated basis, sales are down, but still not the -25 percent that had been predicted for after the end of the subsidies.

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