Providing a Service Platform Across the Enterprise with Aras PLM to Streamline New Product Development Process

Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) faced significant challenges in managing product information and processes across its diverse industrial segments. Each segment had developed its own systems for CAD data management, requirements management, and other engineering processes, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs. The lack of real-time communication and collaboration between departments further exacerbated the problem, making it time-consuming to share product information across disciplines. KHI needed a unified PLM platform to support its engineering business company-wide, streamline new product development, and optimize system-related costs.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI) is a leading manufacturer of equipment for the aerospace, energy, industrial equipment, power, transportation, and shipping industries. With 34,000 employees on six continents and over $13 billion in annual revenue, KHI serves a global customer base in dynamically changing markets. The company’s aerospace division designs and manufactures products ranging from aircraft to satellites, while the transportation division delivers the Shinkansen and New York subway cars. KHI’s ship and offshore division produces gas carriers, large tankers, and advanced submarines. The energy solutions division provides global markets with energy equipment and management systems. KHI is also active in high-level engineering technologies, including environmental and recycling plants, industrial plants, precision machinery, industrial robots, and infrastructure equipment. In the consumer products segment, KHI produces motorcycles, watercraft, all-terrain vehicles, and other leisure and power products under the Kawasaki brand.