Skip to main content

IHI and Kato joining forces for machines

A new agreement between IHI and Kato will see the two firms joining their construction machine operations together. IHI Corporation (IHI) announced has agreed to transfer all the shares in its wholly‐owned IHI Construction Machinery business to Kato Works. The move will expand the product line-up for mini‐excavators, crawler cranes and other crawler equipment. All current facilities and network including overseas will remain without major changes for the time being. The two companies will assimilate ove
October 25, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A new agreement between IHI and Kato will see the two firms joining their construction machine operations together. IHI Corporation (IHI) announced has agreed to transfer all the shares in its wholly‐owned IHI Construction Machinery business to Kato Works.

The move will expand the product line-up for mini‐excavators, crawler cranes and other crawler equipment. All current facilities and network including overseas will remain without major changes for the time being. The two companies will assimilate over time, and develop synergies in the market.

IHI has explained that the decision is in keeping with IHI Group Management Policies 2016, which adopted a new portfolio management approach to reinforce IHI’s earnings base. This forms part of moves by the group to refocus its business operations.

IHI Construction Machinery focuses on mini‐excavators, cranes, crawler carriers, and other construction machinery. The sector has experienced a tough operating climate owing to slower growth in emerging nations and more uncertainty in the global economy. Construction machinery companies have endeavored to accommodate these dramatic changes and reinforce their business by forming alliances or restructuring.

Kato Works is pushing forward with Medium‐Term Management Plan 2016‐2018, targeting net sales exceeding ¥100 billion. It is deploying measures to reach the global market, develop highly competitive products and expand its lineup.

IHI considered its business structure with regard to IHI Construction Machinery and management concluded that integrating that subsidiary’s operations with those of Kato Works as a specialized construction machinery player would reinforce competitiveness. It would also deliver higher added value to customers by bolstering the lineup and leveraging IHI Construction Machinery’s Italian and Chinese business units and sales networks.

As part of the Kato Works group, IHI Construction Machinery will continue to make and sell products. The Kato Works group will broaden its lineup, expand its sales network, and reinforce development and design to boost its development capabilities. The transfer is subject to regulatory approval, with a scheduled transfer date of November 25th, 2016.

Related Content

  • Hitachi and Deere end their joint venture
    August 24, 2021
    Hitachi Construction Machinery has ended the manufacturer's joint venture relationship with Deere & Company in North, Central and South America.
  • LiuGong invests hard to be seen as made, tested and supported in Europe
    January 26, 2018
    LiuGong is investing hard in Europe, determined to be seen as a global player whose products are “made in Europe, tested in Europe and supported in Europe.” Along with new European headquarters based in Warsaw, LiuGong is also opening up a new European production line and a new continent-wide parts distribution centre at its Dressta manufacturing centre in Stalowa Wola. Geoff Hadwick reports
  • Key developments are changing the face of the machine control market
    April 4, 2013
    Various business moves are changing the face of the machine control sector - Mike Woof reports An array of developments, both business moves and new technologies, are changing the focus for the machine control segment of the construction equipment sector. For a long time three firms, Leica Geosystems, Trimble and Topcon, have dominated this segment. The three are retaining their strong positions in the market but are seeing additional competition from Hemisphere and MOBA. Arguably the biggest news is that T
  • Kobelco posts financial results
    November 21, 2014
    Kobelco Construction Machinery has posted its semi-annual results for the 2014 financial year. The results give grounds for caution as well as some optimism however. In the Japanese hydraulic excavator market, a significant decline was expected initially in response to the impact of last-minute demand in the previous financial year. However, the decline was less than expected owing to strong domestic demand. As a result, the total domestic demand for heavy hydraulic excavators in the first half decreased by