PLANT-BASED HYDRAULICS

In our efforts to reduce our reliance on hydrocarbons, TOTO looked for a plant-based alternative to the hydraulic oil used in our forklifts. Hydraulic oil is used to raise, lower, and tilt the forks in the forklift trucks that move our products through the distribution process.

TOTO saw an opportunity to replace hydrocarbon-based hydraulic oil with soybean oil. When we proposed this idea to several forklift manufacturers, they worried that soybean oil would shorten the lifespan of the pumps, cylinders, and other components of their hydraulic systems—potentially rendering warranties void.

In time, TOTO was able to find high-grade soybean oil, suitable to serve as a complete replacement for hydrocarbon-based hydraulic oil. We tested the new oil on a few trucks, and after an extensive test period, the manufacturers took their trucks apart for examination. They found neither degradation nor additional wear and tear—and TOTO began the process of converting not just our forklifts but also the hydraulic systems in nearly all our automated distribution equipment to soybean oil. The new, plant-based oil cost a little more than its hydrocarbon predecessor, but not enough to have a significant impact on our overall operating costs.

TOTO will seek any and every opportunity to eliminate our reliance on nonrenewable resources. We would rather use oil harvested by a farmer in Iowa than oil pumped from a well in the Gulf of Mexico. Hydrocarbon-based oil is valuable in producing plastics and fuel—but hydraulics systems operate smoothly on soy.

Although soybean oil is slightly more expensive than hydrocarbon alternatives, our systems use less of it—which helps to keep annual costs relatively low. It also provides a valuable way for TOTO to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability throughout the production process.