March 29, 2024
Notification of establishment of Willbe Co., Ltd.
On March 29, 2024, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. (Sagamihara, Kanagawa; CEO and Representative Director Michiyoshi Furutono) transferred their stock in Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Meiki Engine Co., Ltd. (Tsushima, Aichi; CEO and Representative Director Tetsuya Hirobe; hereinafter, MHIM) to Meiko Seiki (Tsushima, Aichi; CEO and Representative Director Kosaku Matsubara), making it a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meiko Seiki. The company name was newly changed to Willbe Co., Ltd. (Tsushima, Aichi; CEO and Representative Director Tetsuya Watanabe; hereinafter, Willbe), and it is now independent of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries group.
◆ Willbe logo and corporate brand visuals
Origin of new company name
The new company name, Willbe, incorporates the idea of realizing one’s dreams and making the products needed for our customers’ futures.
The ideas incorporated into the corporate brand slogan “Power Your Future”
Our company exists in order to “Drive your future” and “Provide strong support for your future”. Our new corporate brand slogan, “Power Your Future” puts these ideas into words.
We will earnestly meet customer needs and use high-quality “Made-in-Japan” manufacturing to become a driving force that moves the future in a more positive direction and satisfies not just customers, but also business partners, employees, and stakeholders with our products. We will pursue technical prowess and product value to contribute to everyone’s daily lives.
◆ Willbe’s two brands
Willbe has two brands, MEiKi POWER, which focuses on general-purpose engines used in agricultural equipment and construction equipment, and Earth POWER, which focuses on lifelines such as generators and portable power stations. While pursuing value in each brand, we will demonstrate the synergy of both brands to make daily work comfortable, enrich daily lives, and drive people’s futures.
MEiKi POWER
Earth POWER
◆ Background behind the establishment of Willbe
MHIM was started in 1946 as the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Nagoya Device Manufacturing Plant (Nakamura, Nagoya) to manufacture, sell, and service small, general-purpose gasoline engines. In 2017, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries small air-cooled gasoline engine business was split-off into Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Meiki Engine Co., Ltd., a dedicated company started for a new system. Based around Meiki Engine, a brand of high-quality “Made-in-Japan” general-purpose engines with advanced technical capabilities, the company supplied portable gas generators and engines to power work equipment such as farm machinery and construction equipment.
Meiko Seiki is a manufacturer that specializes in mass-producing ultra-precision processed parts for automobiles. They are developing into a global company through a joint venture in China and their own factory in Thailand.
MHIM’s main market is domestic farm machinery, and as this market is maturing, they are considering actively expanding into overseas markets by using the strengths of “Made-in-Japan” manufacturing, such as high quality, high performance, and high durability. They consider measures for de-carbonization to be of the utmost importance in their business strategy and have discussed improvements for this strategy. When developing a new market, speedy management is vital in order to shorten the development cycle and delivery times. In order to further develop the Meiki Engine business, it was determined that the creation of a strong overseas network and a shift toward a business style that specializes in mass production would be necessary.
The agreement to establish Willbe was reached because Meiko Seiki has the necessary business knowhow and the goal of further developing the Meiki Engine business, and this aligned with MHIM’s thoughts on business expansion. The entire business foundation created by both companies will contribute to the future growth and development of Willbe as we expand the lineup domestically and abroad to expand the business.
[Company overview]
Willbe Co., Ltd.
Business: Design, manufacture, and sale of gasoline engines and generators
Capital: 30 million yen
Representative: Tetsuya Hirobe
Founded: March 29, 2024
Address: 23 Shimokomori, Kabuto-cho, Tsushima, Aichi
URL：https://willbe-corp.com/en/
[Overview of investing company]
Meiko Seiki
Business: Manufacturer of ultra-precision machined parts Specializes in the mass-production of ultra-precision machined parts, specifically linear solenoid parts for A/T control with an integrated production process that includes casting, machining, surface treatment, and assembly
Capital: 30 million yen
Representative: Kosaku Matsubara
Founded: March 28, 2002
Address: 47 Nishishimizu, Kabuto-cho, Tsushima, Aichi
URL：https://meikoseiki-ltd.co.jp/index.html
◆ Inquiries regarding this topic
Willbe Co., Ltd. Management Department TEL: 0567-69-7800