In 1929, the Depression caused a large amount of financial problems with the company.ĭuring World War 2, Kawasaki was a major builder of combat aircraft like the Ki-61, which killed many US aircrew. After the war, along with the Allied arms-limitation agreement in 1912, Kawasaki faced a huge decline in shipbuilding. They began to produce parts for the railroad, automotive, and airplane industry by the end of World War 1. Kojiro Matsukata was announced as the company's first president.Īfter opening a new factory in 1906, Kawasaki began diversifying its products. The new and improved company went public as Kawasaki Dockyard Co., Ltd when the demand for ships rose during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. This allowed space for the rise of orders placed to his company and the renaming to Kawasaki Dockyard. In 1886, Kawasaki moved the business from Tokyo to Hyogo. This is marked as the company's start in the industry. In 1878, after struggling to find business, his first order was placed. This led to the decision to create technological innovations for the Japanese shipping industry. He was involved with two offshore disasters but accredited his survival to the modernization of the ships. Shōzō Kawasaki, born in 1836, was involved with the marine industry from a young age. History Vertical version of the Kawasaki logo After the conflict, KHI became part of the DKB Group ( keiretsu). Prior to the Second World War, KHI was part of the Kobe Kawasaki zaibatsu, which included Kawasaki Steel and Kawasaki Kisen. KHI is known as one of the three major heavy industrial manufacturers of Japan, alongside Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI. The company is named after its founder, Shōzō Kawasaki. It is also active in the production of industrial robots, gas turbines, pumps, boilers and other industrial products. ( KHI) ( 川崎重工業株式会社, Kawasaki Jūkōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha) (or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ship & Offshore Structure Company.Kawasaki Heavy Industries Aerospace Company.

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