GreenVision

Newsletter Issue: 2/2010

PlanToys®
A COMPANY THAT CARES
 Editor’s Note Message from President

Dear Valued Partners,

June 11, 2010 was PlanToys® 29th birthday. Next year, we will
celebrate our 30th anniversary with many special marketing
activities and promotions. Since we began PlanToys has been
Dear Valued Customers,
determined to be a corporation of value, efficiency, and
environmental friendliness. We have worked hard to find ways
The overall theme of this issue is “Green” and has been designed to update you on the latest
to make the best use of our natural resources for the benefit of
developments in our environmentally sound way of doing business. There is also a special interview
all.
with Mr. Vitool Virapornsawan, CEO and President of PlanToys® and a report on awards that we
received in the 2nd quarter of the year.
Earlier this year, we started using a new eco-material: Sawdust.
Left over from our production process it has already been used
You will also find updated information on the 10 year celebration of Dancing Alligator and the new CSR to make some of our new products in 2010.
project in cooperation and partnership with Enfant du Mékong – a non-profit organization that provides
This certification tracks FSC certified material through the
under priviledged children in South East Asia with access to education. For the past few months, I have been busy working to set up our production process - from forest to consumer and includes all
new Eco-Energy Power Plant Project. Within 14months, stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing and
Currently our product development team is busy working on the last stage of the design and PlanToys will be using clean Eco-Energy to operate production distribution that come between.
development of PlanToys® 2011 and I can tell you there will be many new and exciting items. These in our factory and the local community will also benefit from this
new products will be launched in February 2011 at the Nuremburg International Toy fair, Germany. So new environmentally safe form of energy. The Eco Energy Also, we have just received the national “Outstanding
if you want to be the first to see these new items you may want to start booking your flight to Nuremburg! Power Plant is scheduled to open in November 2010. We have Performance in Labour Relations and Welfare” award from the
also invested in a new heating room system that uses heat from Royal Thai Government. We are one of top 413 companies in
Again, I hope that our Green philosophy will help make your business more efficient and successful as the sun. The clean energy collected will be used to dry the Thailand to have received this.
it creates happiness for children everywhere around the world. painted wood on our toys.
Lastly, I would like to thank you for your support and loyalty to
If you have any questions or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me. Following the award we received for Thailand’s “Sufficiency PlanToys. I assure you that we will do our part in continuing to
Economy Project” from the Royal Development Project Board create green toys for the benefit of the world’s children. Safe,
under the department of National Economics and Social quality-made products that respect society and the environment
Best Regards,
Development, we have been taking part in a series of road is our on-going goal.
The Editor
shows around the country. We have also been invited to
participate in several panel discussions and share our Best Regards,
PlanToys® Incoming Events Calendar 2010 sustainability ideas, green philosophy and ways of doing sound Vitool Viraponsavan
environmental business with other companies. CEO/President

Index
Editor’s Note 1
Message from President 2
Cover Story 3
The Bangkok International Gift Fair and It is with much pride that I announce that PlanToys® is now
Bangkok International Houseware Fair October Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. The company is
2010 (BIG & BIH) certified under the category of FSC chain of custody (CoC).
Date: October 19 – 24, 2010
Venue: Booth – E51, The Bangkok International Trade
and Exhibition Center (BITEC), Bangkok,
Thailand

Green Community and China Toy Expo 2010

Green Sharing Experiences 5 Date: October 12 – 14, 2010
Venue: Booth - 4G39, Shanghai New Int'l Expo Center,
News Update 7 China

Featured Winter Launch 2010 10 Woman Live 2010

Toy Story 12 Date: October 5 – 10, 2010
Venue: Booth – O82-O83, The IMPACT Arena Exhibition
and Convention Center, Bangkok,
Thailand

Chief Editor : Adtasit Jiamchawee Staff Writers : Jenjira Jitpaiboon, Suchada Tangjitmungman, Nattaya Siripatvanich
Graphic Designer : Sunisa Sritanaviboonchai Illustrator : Suwichcha Kaewkao
Plan Creations Co., Ltd. 114/1 Sathorn 10, North Sathorn Rd., Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Thailand Tel : +66 (0) 2 237-9070 Fax : +66 (0) 2 237-5790
Email : mktg@plantoys.com Website : www.plantoys.com

1 Green Vision 2 nd
Issue, September 2010 Green Vision 2nd Issue, September 2010 2
 Cover Story

Step 4 : Packing and Shipping

PlanToys ® All PlanToys® products are professionally packed with specially designed materials.
We monitor the carbon footprint of the packaging with regards to storage

A COMPANY THAT CARES

and hazardous materials, waste reduction and other factors. PlanToys®
uses soy and water–based inks on all our printed material. This ink is
readily biodegradable and can be recycled more efficiently than
standard chemical ink. We also monitor logistics which can have
a negative environmental effect regarding fuel and pollution.

M ost people don’t realize that PlanToys® is merely a brand name. But the original Plan
Creations Co., Ltd. was started with the founder’s determination to have the business
become a corporation that supports and enhances a child’s development through play… a
We always select the nearest port for shipping so as to save
energy and our trucks use natural gas as much as possible,
company that truly cares. Our goal is not to just create ordinary playthings, but unique toys instead of gasoline.
that give pleasure as they help children build love and respect for our environment.

Plan Creations Co., Ltd was established in 1981 and was the first company in the world to
manufacture toys from recycled rubber wood. Today we own 6,250 Hectare of rubber wood COMMITTED TO CARING…
plantation with a further 6,250 under contract.
For three decades now PlanToys® has been committed
Each year we replant over 100,000 rubber trees. Our business has created over 1,100 jobs to minimizing its impact on the environment. All our
in and around the Southern Thai village of Trang and our factory has grown enormously. It materials are safe, clean and eco-friendly.
now covers 45,000 sq. mtrs and new machinery has almost doubled the quality and capacity We place the highest value on the quality of
of our product. In fact, maximum output is now around 4 million toys /set per year. our toys, but we also want the world to be
a healthier and happier place for our children.
After over 30 years in business our toys are now available in more than 65 countries. Most So our deepest commitment is to a greener future.
parents know us for our Green manufacturing process.
So please accompany us as we take you on Therefore.. you can be assured that all PlanToys®
a brief tour of our special world… in your hands are Green Toys from a Green Company.

FROM PARA RUBBER TREE TO FINISHED PRODUCT

A Journey of PlanToys®
Step 1 : The Para Rubber
Plantation
All PlanToys® are made from clean, natural rubber wood trees
that no longer produce latex. To keep the wood pure, no fertilizer is added
to the soil for three years before the trees are cut.

Step 2 : The Paraveneer Sawmil

Paraveneer is an upstream supplier consisting of two main production lines, a sawmill and playwood production that provides
quality timber to suit PlanToys® requirements. We use a special chemical-free kiln drying process to strengthen our wood and apply
certified E-Zero glue instead of traditional toxic wood glue to all Medium-density fiberboard (MDF).

Step 3 : The PlanToys®

Production Factory
Our factory is a busy and versatile place. Under international
health and safety standards we carry out such operations as;
shaping, adjusting, coloring, printing and assembling. We also
conduct Quality Assurance testing of our products in our own
laboratory before sending toys out for 3rd party International
Testing laboratory. All our toys exceed international safety
standards including both ASTM (USA) and EN71 (Europe).

3 Green Vision 2 nd
Issue, September 2010 Green Vision 2nd Issue, September 2010 4
 Green Community&
Sharing Experiences
A special interview with the CEO/ Q
inspected the life cycle of our products to learn how we used As for ecological balance, have you encountered any
natural resources and whether we were using them efficiently. obstacles? If so what are they? For example, is there
We also hired a lecturer from Walailak University in Nakhon Si understanding about this from people inside and outside your

President of Plan Creations Co., Ltd. Thammarat Province to help us on Eco Efficiency and analyze
the results.
organization?

W ith his industrial design knowledge and lifelong interest

in toys, Mr. Vitool Virapornsawan, CEO/President of
Plan Creations Co., Ltd. established wooden toy business
under the brand name of PlanToys®.
The toys feature unique design originality, attractiveness and
the ability to inspire imagination and promote a child’s
development. The PlanToys® concept is built around using
rubber wood as a raw material so that children can feel close to
nature and respect the product’s natural value.
In the beginning, it took much time for appreciation of the
company to develop within society as well as its trading
partners. Nevertheless, Mr. Vitool stood firm. His idea to help
children experience nature through quality toys that are
Mr. Vitool Viraponsavan
CEO/President fo
Plan Creations Co., Ltd.
which causes a problem. In the first 15 years, the company had
to use nontoxic chemicals to protect the wood. Then in 1999,
The first test was on the 'Dancing Alligator' toy, our best selling
product, and the most Eco-efficient. The aim was to discover
A This is not an easy job because we have to communicate
with employees from management board to officers in
order to make them understand. We have to think of how to
how much wood is used and wasted and how much energy is create better understanding of our policies. This has to be done
consumed during production. In addition, we determined the every day with clear policy and continuous training which I do
toy’s Carbon Footprint which revealed how much carbon was not find problematic but it still has to be developed. As PlanToys®
emitted. Soon we will begin labeling our products with Carbon products are 20% more expensive than our competitors, buyers
Footprint ID decals to inform customers and help them choose may think, “ Well, I will not pay for these environmental costs of
eco-friendly toys. yours”. This is another challenge for us. Because we do not use
toxic chemicals in our production we sometimes have an issue
Dancing Alligator has Carbon Footprint of 500 units compared
with the Push-Along Duck, another of our toys, which has a
Carbon Footprint of 300 units. Actually, playing with the alligator
or duck is the same, but environmentally conscious people may
choose the duck because of its lower carbon footprint.

environmentally friendly and imaginatively stimulating remained
unshaken. The challenge was not merely to develop these
products for market, but also to establish a manufacturing
procedure that minimized impact on the environment. To
achieve this, the company began by choosing raw materials,
and designing everything with the environment in mind–from
recycling to packaging .
A good example is the, 'Tower Pounding' toy, an impressive
item that lets balls roll down a ramp instead of a rail. It won The
Red Dot Design Award–a prestigious world design prize. The
toy’s design was based on an actual energy-saving concept.
Recently Plan Creations Co., Ltd. has spent more than 6
months researching best-selling products that have low Carbon
Footprints. The aim is to give each toy a Carbon designation to
let consumers know just how much carbon is being emitted by
we decided to stop using chemicals and introduce certain
natural procedures instead. We developed innovative processes
such increasing heat to protect the wood and expanding our
storage procedure. These measures were challenging, but we
took the risks and were finally able to provide 100% protection
from moths.
Another challenge was reducing formaldehyde abrasion–a
toxin which can be accumulated in the human body. The goal
was to have it registered less than 1 ppm or what is called 'E1'
level in industrial terms. We did this prior to the EU mandate.
Then when the EU announced it, we knew that we had to move
higher than their standards and achieve '0' levels–referred to as
E Zero or ‘formaldehyde free’ in the industry.
PlanToys® was also among the first pioneers to use water-
based dye which contains no mercury, lead or heavy metals -
thereby creating no greenhouse effect as is common with other
dyes which contain thinners and solvents. This is what we
enjoy. By strengthening our beliefs, we are helping to protect
society and the environment a pursuit that carries its own
rewards.
On completion of the above we are now ready to meet further
challenges and move ahead.
Questions & Answers about Plantoys®
Q
Does conducting an environmentally sound business in
a very competitive market incur much expense? And if
so why does PlanToys® still commit to it?
A
Business is business. We know that employing a green
production system is more expensive than others but we
continue because we care for people, society and the
environment. We try to strike a balance so that the cost is still
with quality control. For example, without the use of wood
manageable and we are not a charity organization. Also, we
preservative, some wood is attacked by moths. Other people
have made it clear that we are a good business that is
complain that our products are not quality products. This is not
concerned about society and our planet. In the industry, people
true and when we explain the details of our stringent production
often say that our toys are more expensive than others. This is
process people understand and agree. PlanToys® is determined
because we pay for what we are responsible for. As a green
to move forward and modify its methods in order to eliminate
company we have to expect other expenses. In this business,
such problems.
there are both admirers and critics. People who are looking for
cheap products will not be our partners or buy our toys.
However, most people believe that our idea is right and not
everyone is greedy. We have partners who want to do the right Q During the recession, your expenses for environmental
issues included costs which seemed unnecessary. How
do you explain this?
thing for children and our planet and this group is
expanding like a network to
provide mutual support.
A It all depends on your interpretation of what cost is.
Because really cost is not a burden; it is factored into the
price structure of both product and service. PlanToys® regards
Since 2007, we have published
a Sustainability Report that this as an element which can be called ‘cost’ for want of a better
complements our performance. word. However, it is what we need to do because we want to do
We report on projects that have business in a ‘green’ way. Certainly, this procedure will raise the
price of a product and make it higher than competitors who do
led to sustainable development.
Detailing Eco-Efficiency includes not do this. The point is how to come up with a strategy to
control the price so that it is not too much higher and still retain

Q Nowadays, Eco Design which addresses the life cycle of
each product. The idea is similar to nutritional charts that can
a product, is often mentioned. Does PlanToys® employ
be found on many of today’s food products. However, it is a
this kind of concept? And why?
truly revolutionary idea in the toy business.
How does PlanToys® reduce environmental
problems?
A PlanToys® is interested in and concerned about the
efficient use of natural resources during both its
production and design processes. We have concluded that
everything should be done systematically and have developed
Our toys are made from rubber wood that was destined to be
a process that follows a module created by lecturers at Mahidol
cut down and burned. This is called reuse material. But as
and Kasetsart Universities. These environmental experts
rubber wood is rich in starch, it also provides food for moths
assisted us as consultants in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and
the 3 Ps: The first is P for profit–
how to perform profitably; the
second P is for People, or how we
value individuals both inside and
outside the organization. And the
protect the
third P is for Planet, or how to
world’s environment. These three Ps
need to be given balance to achieve the Eco-Efficiency
Module–a means to grow in a sustainable manner. To achieve
this, there is no set formula. Everyone needs to learn and
develop it for themselves.
customers who appreciate the value of our efforts. Remember,
our goal is not just sales, but to take part in preventing our
environment from deteriorating. How to do this without spending
money is not easy. We have to continue internal inspection to
see if there is any way to improve it. As long as people
understand what they are paying for and accept it’s worth it,
then price is not a burden. The bottom line is you get what you
pay for. By producing a value-oriented item the money or profit
will follow. Long-term value is an issue here and people are
beginning to understand sustainability… not just over one or
two days, but for a lifetime.

5 Green Vision 2 nd
Issue, September 2010 Green Vision 2nd Issue, September 2010 6
 News Update
FSC Certification for PlanToys® We are now working to receive full FSC forest management
certification. This certification is a way of ensuring that long-

P lanToys® is now Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

certified. FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-
for-profit organization that has been established to promote
term forest management is duly recognized. Certification is
voluntary. It involves an inspection of the forest management
by an independent organization to check that it complies with
the responsible management of the world’s forests. The the internationally agreed FSC Principles and Criteria of good
company is certified under the category of FSC chain of forest management.
custody (CoC). This certification tracks FSC certified material
through the production
When we receive this certification in the next few months, we
process from forest to
will be able to launch some products that are FSC wood
consumer and includes
certified and customers will be able to order them. For more
all stages of processing,
information about this please feel free to contact our sales
transformation,
team.
manufacturing and
distribution that come
between.

Soccer Award Thai Airways Lounge

American Trade P lanToys®, has just won the 2010 Parents’ Choice Award
from Parents’ Choice Foundation in the USA. The Award
was given to the company’s new 'Soccer' toy which is in the
I n co-operation with Thai
Airways International, we
were invited to set up a

Partners Visit
PlanPreschool category.
Parent’s Choice Foundation is a non-profit organization that
aims to recommend the best quality items for children’s media
and toys. This special award helps parents make an educated
selection when they purchase a toy.
special Kid’s Room in the
Royal Executive Lounge for First Class and Business Class
passengers at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
The room was filled with all kinds of PlanToy® products which
were divided into three age groups: 1year+, 1-3 years+ and 3
years+.

F rom the 17th-21st of August 2010, the program was
arranged for a group of retailers from United States of
America. They visited our factory in Trang. The group consisted
of small to medium sized retailers. On the first day of their visit
they toured the PlanToys® factory and the children’s museum.
Later, we showed them our green manufacturing process which
begins with pieces of rubber wood and ends with a finished
product.
On the morning of the 2nd day the visitors went to a local school
near the factory and took part in a tree planting ceremony with
The Parents Choice Award emphasizes the commitment of
Plan Creations in creating the highest quality products to help
children in all aspects of their development. It has also shown
acceptance for PlanToy®
products from the international
community with regards to
safety, quality of design and
overall friendliness to children
and the environment.
The Royal Executive Lounge accommodates over 1000 First
and Business Class passengers from all over the world. It has
received many international awards such as the World's Best
First Class Lounge from Skytrax and Best First Class Airline
Lounge Award.
As the world’s leading manufacturer of wooden toys, PlanToy®
is proud to be associated with one of the world’s major airlines.
We hope that we can bring smiles and laughter to children
while they wait for their flights.

students and teachers. They spent over 3 hours there. The
students showed them around the school and classrooms.
After the school visit, the group went back to the factory for a
day in the workshop where they witnessed our design and
product development processes and later took part in a product
development discussion that covered 2011 and 2012. On the
final day of the program, we took them on a green trip to the
natural environment of Trang province.
A
t PlanToy®, we value people both inside and outside our
Outstanding company. We recognize staff as a valuable resource and
so the significance of staff welfare is very important. This most
Performance in recent award was received in recognition of “Outstanding
performance in labour relations and welfare” from the Ministry
Labour Relations of Industry, Royal Thai Government. This is further confirmation
of our success in caring for our staff and includes health,
and Welfare Award welfare and safety in the working environment.

The objective of the Program is

to create better understanding
between retailers and our
10th Year Celebration of Dancing Alligator
company’s Green way of doing
business. The visitors greatly
enjoyed their experiences,
L ast year PlanToys® and our distributors from 13 countries met to celebrate the
10th anniversary of our best-selling Dancing Alligator toy. Six thousand US
dollars was raised to help establish child development centers in ten schools
which included Thai culture, located in the city of Trang, Thailand – the home town of
food and famous Thai hospitality this universally popular toy. On behalf of all donors and
along with the sea, sun and participants PlanToy® extends its deepest appreciation for
beauty of Trang province. your kindness and generosity.

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Issue, September 2010 Green Vision 2nd Issue, September 2010 8
 Featured Products for 2010
Green Solar Building Enfant du Mékong
T his newly developed
project involves the
and Balancing Cactus PlanToys®
collection of heat and
energy released by P lanToys® is proud to announce its partnership with Enfant du
Mékong–a non-profit organization that provides underprivileged
children in South East Asia with access to education. This year also featured Winter Launch 2010
machines used in our
manufacturing process. marks the 10th Anniversary of our beloved Balancing Cactus toy and
By capturing this heat we are taking this opportunity to celebrate its success by helping to
and combing it with direct establish better health facilities for less privileged children in Mekong
sunlight, we reuse the energy to help dry the paint which is countries. For every Balancing Cactus sold 1€ (1.25USD) will be
sprayed onto our products. This runs into considerable donated to the Enfants du Mékong project. PlanToys®, and its
partners will match the 1€ (1.25USD) donation , contributing a total 5166 Twisted N’ Match (18m+)
savings in energy and is just another of the green
manufacturing concepts developed by PlanToys®. of 2€ (2.50USD) per item to Enfants du Mékong. This will help
finance education for children in the Mekong area. For more
information on this noble project, please contact our sales team.

Student Visits
Sustainability Seminar 6416 Melody Xylophone (3y+)

P lanToys is famous for the manufacture of beautiful

®

wooden toys. But recently we have also been earning

a reputation as a ‘tour operator’ in Trang province! Our
company is now receiving more and more requests from
universities, private organizations and government
agencies to visit our Children’s Museum and inspect the
green manufacturing process and sustainability projects
5169 Tube Sorting (18m+)
that are in operation there.

Last month, at the head office in Sathorn, Bangkok, we

recently had two similar visits: One from a group of MBA
students from Mahidol University – Thailand’s top university
and another from King Mongkut's University – Thailand’s
leading Product Design College. Both groups were given a
summary of the company and PlanToys® Eco design
development concept. A short Question & Answer session
followed by the PlanToys® product team and product
designer managers.
PlanToys® is always happy to share our ideas and
philosophy with others which helps develop a better world
and a richer society for all of us.
7345 Barbecue Set (3y+)
E arlier this year PlanToys® was awarded Thailand’s “Sufficiency
Economy Project Award” under the auspices of the Royal
Development Project Board of the department of National Economics
and Social Development. The CEO and Directors of the company
have been invited to attend a panel discussion and share 7346 Garden Swing (3y+)
sustainability ideas and concepts with other business leaders
around the country. At the end of August, we also had a group of
business leaders from Southern Thailand visit our factory to learn
about PlanToys®’ green business and sustainability ideas.

PlanToys® Birthday 7343 Plant Set (3y+)

PlanToys®’ 29th Anniversary Celebration was a memorable occasion!

Friday 11th June, 2009 was the 29th anniversary of the Plan Creations Company–PlanToys®’ 29th Birthday. In the morning staff and
management from the company’s Bangkok headquarters assembled to hear a special Monk's sermon that celebrated the event. The
theme was “Sustainable Life Style” and upon conclusion the staff donated goods for the Monks temple.

PlanToys® staff then enjoyed lunch together and afterwards, at the office headquarters in Bangkok and the company factory in Trang,
they viewed a presentation from Mr. Vitool Virapornsavan, CEO/ President of Plan Creations Co., Ltd. The President talked about
the future of Plan Creations and company plans for the coming decade.
3458 Cash Register (3y+)

Mr. Vitool stressed that “PlanToys® is determined to become a corporation

that supports and enhances intelligent child development through play.
“Our toys advance a child’s learning skills,” he said. “And PlanToys® aims 3459 Balancing Scale (3y+)
to identify the corporation with a value system that is efficient, creative,
and eco-friendly at all times. PlanToys® mission is not to create just
ordinary playthings but those that also produce appreciation and respect
for our environment,” he said. 3460 BBQ Grill (3y+)

From now until June 2011, PlanToys® will conduct a series of events and
promotions to continue the celebration of our company’s 30th Anniversary.

9 Green Vision 2 nd
Issue, September 2010 Green Vision 2nd Issue, September 2010 10
 Toy Story

6247 Railway – Washing Station (3y+)

6245 Mountain Tunnel (3y+)

PlanToys® Click Clack Roller

C lick Clack Roller is an exciting new toy that is based upon
the Eco Design concept.

The designer of Click Clack Roller has great concern for our
habitat. His idea was to create a plaything that is highly
6246 Stone Bridge (3y+) entertaining as well as environmentally friendly. The design
uses only green materials, not just recycled rubber wood. It
also employs a minimum of materials.
6249 Washing Station (3y+)
Click Clack Roller has a simple and distinctive form and is
based totally on Eco Design. The tracks are made from two
wooden pieces that are joined together. The balls are free to
follow multiple trajectories and children are fascinated by this.
They love to watch the balls roll to see just where
they will go. Click Clack Roller helps develop a
6254 Ascending Road Track (3y+)
child’s visual abilities and concentration. Its
success has made it one of PlanToys® most
recommended toys of the year.
6255 Ascending Rail Track (3y+)

6250 Cargo Train (3y+)

6253 Car Carrier Train (3y+)

6251 Crane Train (3y+)

6252 Recycling Train (3y+) Designed and Developed by

Mr. Vathanyoo Pitiwattanakul

11 Green Vision 2 nd
Issue, September 2010 Green Vision 2nd Issue, September 2010 12
Thailand
Plan Creations Co., Ltd.
114/1 Sathorn 10, North Sathorn Rd.,
Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Thailand
Tel : 66 (0) 2237-9070
Fax : 66 (0) 2237-5790
E-mail : mktg@plantoys.com
Website : www.plantoys.com
USA
PlanToys, Inc.
465 Fairchild Drive, Suite 106-A
Mountain View, CA 94043
Tel : 650-968-4783, 650-968-4794
Fax : 650-968-4947
E-mail : info@plantoysinc.com
Website : www.plantoysusa.com
Japan
PlanToys Japan Co., Ltd.
4-19 Mizuochi-cho, Aoi-ku,
Shizuoka-City, 420-0831 Japan
Tel : 81 (0) 54-209-6255
Fax : 81 (0) 54-209-6256
Email : plantoysjapan@aqua.ocn.ne.jp
Website : www.planeducation.net