Kobe Diesel to acquire MHI-MME marine diesel business

7UEC80LSE-Eco-B1 engine

EBRUARY 1, 2017 — Long-time UE engine licensee Kobe Diesel is to acquire the marine diesel business of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and its wholly owned subsidiary Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine Co., Ltd.

Today, the three companies said they had moved forward with a previously concluded basic agreement andmemorandum of understanding to pursue integration of their marine diesel engine businesses. MHI-MME and Kobe Diesel have now concluded an “absorption-split” agreement that will see MHI-MME’s marine diesel engine business transferred to Kobe Diesel from April 1 .

A statement says that MHI-MME and Kobe Diesel have worked to improve long-term corporate value while complementing each other through their licensor / licensee relationship. The two companies will now further develop this relationship by vertically integrating their respective businesses as licensor (development, design, after-sale servicing) and licensee (manufacture, marketing, after sale-servicing).

“In so doing,” says the statement, ‘the companies will create an agile and flexible business management system as a specialized engine manufacturer with end-to-end business processes across the value chain. This absorption-type split agreement has been concluded under the common recognition that it is essential for sustainable growth and the development of the ‘UE’ engine business to improve profitability and competitiveness while flexibly responding the business environment.

“Kobe Diesel will formulate a concrete integrated business plan that makes use of the strengths of both its high value-added business model as a licensor of MHI-MME and its business model as a low-cost manufacturer, while continuing to receive technical support from MHI for development and production. In addition, the company will build stronger collaborative relationships with ‘UE’ licensee companies based on customer patronage, emphasizing the creation of added value. At the same time the company will foster a sense of unity and will aim to further expand and develop Japan’s world-class marine diesel engines. MHI and MHI-MME will continue to closely collaborate with Kobe Diesel to support the development of its marine diesel engine business.”