TOTO Vietnam Co., Ltd. – Hung Yen Branch began operations in 2018, specializing in the large-scale production of sanitary ware products with continuous operations and high energy consumption. Due to its intensive use of thermal energy for drying and firing processes, as well as electricity for auxiliary systems, efficient energy use has been identified by the company as one of the key priorities in its production activities.

From the early stages, the company focused on investing in high-efficiency equipment and maintaining periodic energy audits every three years to monitor energy consumption and identify improvement opportunities. At the same time, energy management has been systematically implemented through daily monitoring of energy consumption demand in each production area, enabling timely adjustments to operating conditions.

In addition to monitoring data, the company has also established specific regulations on energy use, such as turning off lighting in public areas when unnecessary or when natural lighting can be utilized. Equipment maintenance is carried out regularly to maintain optimal operating conditions and minimize increased energy consumption caused by inefficient equipment performance. At the same time, raising awareness among employees has also been emphasized through regular training programs and workshops, thereby forming energy-saving habits throughout the factory, such as turning off unnecessary equipment during breaks or when not in use.

During operations, one of the most effective energy-saving solutions has been the recovery of waste heat from kiln exhaust gases for use in the drying process of molded products, helping save approximately 3–4% of energy consumption. Reusing this heat source not only reduces fuel consumption but also improves the overall efficiency of the production line.

For the compressed air system—one of the areas with the highest electricity consumption—the company simultaneously implemented solutions to repair air leaks and optimize operating modes. Instead of maintaining continuous operation, equipment such as air compressors, air dryers, and exhaust fans are operated according to actual demand, helping reduce unnecessary electricity consumption. As a result, operational optimization alone helped reduce the system’s electricity consumption by approximately 21%, while leak repairs contributed an additional energy saving of about 2–3%.

For auxiliary equipment, power adjustment based on actual demand has been widely applied. Many devices, such as drying kiln fans, firing kiln fans, and large-capacity mixers, have been equipped with variable frequency drives (VFDs) instead of fixed operating modes. As a result, the equipment can operate flexibly according to each production stage, minimizing unnecessary electricity use. In some areas, such as glaze mixing systems and the Pre&Lab slurry system, frequency adjustments have helped save approximately 6% of electricity consumption while still maintaining product quality.

In thermal energy applications, improvements have focused on optimizing operating processes. Applying energy-saving operating modes for drying kilns has reduced LPG consumption by approximately 5–6%, while deeper optimization measures have increased savings to as much as 15% in certain processes. At the same time, reorganizing production loads and improving kiln capacity have reduced the number of kilns required for operation, thereby saving an additional 7–8% of fuel consumption.

In addition to system-wide solutions, the factory has also implemented many small operational adjustments to minimize energy losses. Improvements to the hot air collection and exhaust system in the compressor area have reduced heat accumulation, helping improve equipment operating conditions. At the same time, optimizing the material load inside kilns has also reduced fuel consumption during each production cycle. Although these improvements do not require major investment, they have delivered significant results when implemented comprehensively in actual operations.

By simultaneously implementing solutions ranging from waste heat recovery and operational optimization to equipment upgrades, the company has improved energy consumption indicators per unit of product and maintained annual energy cost savings of approximately 3–5%. Energy audit results also indicate that the factory still has considerable potential for further optimization, with estimated cost-saving potential exceeding VND 4 billion per year if additional appropriate solutions are implemented.

The experience at TOTO Vietnam Co., Ltd. – Hung Yen Branch demonstrates that energy efficiency can be achieved through adjustments at every stage of the production process and sustainably maintained through a combination of technical solutions and operational management. When improvements are implemented comprehensively and accompanied by changes in energy-use behavior, the resulting savings are not only short-term but can also be sustained over the long term.