KURONEKO Innovation Fund is pleased to announce that, in collaboration with Eztia, a U.S.-based startup developing cutting-edge cooling material technology, it has launched a proof-of-concept (PoC) trial at select Yamato Transport branches to evaluate the effectiveness of arm covers made with Eztia’s proprietary cooling material.

■Background and Objectives of the Initiative

In recent years, addressing severe summer heat waves has become an extremely important challenge in the logistics sector.The Yamato Group has made ensuring the safety of frontline sales drivers and fostering a healthy work environment its top priorities. In this proof of concept (PoC), we will provide arm covers—which utilize Eztia’s “proprietary thermal control material technology”—to sales drivers at the participating branches.Eztia’s arm covers have been confirmed through past demonstration data to reduce skin temperature by up to 9°C, with the cooling effect lasting 6 to 8 hours. In this initiative, we will collect and verify data—including the effectiveness of heat stress relief, comfort during wear, and changes in skin temperature—by having drivers wear the arm covers during actual delivery operations in real-world thermal environments.

The KURONEKO Innovation Fund will continue to strive to create a sustainable work environment for employees on the front lines through open innovation, while also working to solve social issues.

Wear Test Images and Cooling Material Sections

■About Eztia

Eztia is a U.S.-based startup developing next-generation cooling materials to ensure the safety and comfort of people working in extreme heat, such as those in the construction and logistics industries and athletes.

For more information about Eztia, here