Noritz Group has announced that it will donate a total of $150,000 to help relief and recovery efforts in Japanese communities affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck the northern region of the country on March 11, 2011.
“The earthquake in Japan has reminded us just how small and interconnected our world has become,” said Bob Hitchner, senior VP of sales, marketing and business development for Noritz in North America. “Some Noritz associates had family members in the earthquake zone, while others of us just happened to watch the devastation on television.”
As part of its corporate donation, Noritz has launched a number of charity initiatives designed to broaden its support for the disaster relief fund, including “Pay It Forward,” where Noritz will contribute $1 for each new Noritz Facebook fan or Twitter follower between now and April 30, 2011, up to a maximum of $5,000. In addition, Noritz associates will be able to add their financial support through payroll deductions or by earmarking accrued vacation hours to be donated to the relief effort. Noritz will also engage its trade customers by soliciting relief donations during all on-site contractor training programs and customer counter days in 2011.
The Noritz Group is the wholly owned American subsidiary of Japan-based Noritz Corp. The company’s water heaters are manufactured in the western part of Japan, so its operations were not directly disrupted by the earthquake. “Our supply chain has held up very well under the strain of this unfathomable disaster,” said Hitchner. “but we are keeping a close eye on port congestion and other factors that might still cause shipment delays.”
Noritz is sponsoring a special online donation website as a vehicle for its employees and suppliers to help the earthquake survivors through the American Red Cross. To learn more, click here.
