Tanita Develops Solar-Powered Digital Bathroom Scale

Tanita Corp., a major Japanese manufacturer of precision electronic scales, announced on April 20, 2009, that it has developed an eco-friendly digital bathroom scale, dubbed Eco-Living. The new scale incorporates solar cells as its power source and uses a plant-based plastic material for part of its body exterior.

The plastic material is a biomass resin made mainly of polylactic acid, which is produced from fermented corn or other plant starches. The material has excellent durability and heat resistance. Carbon dioxide emissions from producing scales using this material are about 380 grams less per unit when compared with traditional petroleum-based plastic materials.

The scale body measures 306 × 330 × 48 mm and weighs 2.3 kilograms, with a maximum weight capacity of 150 kilograms. The company launched the product in April 2009 in international markets, primarily in Europe, where consumers are highly environment-conscious. The company plans to sell 22,000 units in FY2009, at a price of 44.9 Euros (about 6,000 yen).

Tanita Solar Scales
http://www.tanita.com/en/solar-scales/

Posted: 2009/08/09 06:00:15 AM

TAG Eco-product/Business , Energy , Manufacturing industry