Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review Vol. 53 No. 2 (June 2016)
65

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Hull Production Co., Ltd.
to Specialize in Large-scale Hull Blocks

M i ts u b i s h i H e a v y I n d u s t r i e s
H u l l P r o d u c t i o n C o . , L td .

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Hull Production Co., Ltd., a subsidiary that specializes inmanufacturing large-scale hull blocks, commenced business operations in October 2015. The newcompany handles hull block production at the Nagasaki Shipyard’s Koyagi Plant, Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries, Ltd.’s (MHI) key commercial vessel manufacturing base for its marine andvessel operations since its launch in 1972. Capitalized at 300 million yen, the company’s six square
kilometer site is home to 170 full-time employees, 370 in-plant partner, and 100 trainees fromoverseas working on steel structure processing such as cutting, bending, assembly, outfitting andcoating.
In addition to manufacturing hull blocks for vessels ordered via Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., another subsidiary launched at the same time, the company also markets its
products to other shipyards. Focused on the manufacturing of large-scale hull blocks, the company
will pursue expansion in production scale and the reduction of manufacturing costs by increasing
production volumes from the current 100,000 tons to 150,000 tons based on the continuous
production of blocks of identical types.

|1. Corporate philosophy
The company sets out the following four values:
Do work that is appreciated by others:
It is extremely rewarding to be valued and appreciated for the results of your hard work
achieved through your precious time and efforts. Fulfillment comes from honest work.
(2) Foster trust by understanding “the next process is the customer”:
Just as the person who orders and receives final products is a customer, each process
involving mid-production goods is also considered a customer. Trust must be establishedthrough understanding each customer’s needs and meeting their performance expectations.
(3) Work together with unity of purpose:
Every employee is part of the engine of the company, and the company’s reputation iseach employee’s reputation. Goals can only be achieved through shared values and mutualcollaboration.
(4) Continuous correction and improvement:
The status quo is not always perfect. Ongoing improvement efforts by everyone lead theway to a better tomorrow.
(1)|2. Advantages
The site features a panel block plant (“Unit D”) capable of the indoor manufacturing ofpanels up to 45 meters in length, 30 meters in width and 600 tons in weight (Figure 1). In addition,a coating plant has been added to the site in order to handle increased production (Figure 2). To
facilitate more convenient and efficient product delivery, an intermediate gate has been installed 80
meters inward from the main dock gate of the neighboring Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review 53 No. 2 (June 2016)66

Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. A barge can be easily moved inside the dock and products loaded using alarge Goliath crane for timely delivery.
With a small management team, the company focuses heavily on actual production. A quality
assurance unit, independent of the manufacturing department, has been implementing an ISO 9001
certified management system since its operational launch (Figure 3).
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Hull Production Co., Ltd. also obtained ISO 14001 certification
to pursue environmental objectives that are shared with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

Figure 1

Panel block plant

Figure 2

Coating plant

Figure 3

ISO9001 certified|3. Local history
Koyagi, the name of the town where the company is located, means “burning of incense,”and has a long history dating back to the time of Kukai (also known as Kobo Daishi), a famousmonk. Before and after visiting China as a religious scholar, Kukai was said to have stopped by thisarea and prayed by burning incense. At Enfuku Temple in the town, the aroma of incense remains
at the small hollow where this ritual took place.
In 1965, Nagasaki Prefecture reclaimed land between the Town of Koyagi and the City ofNagasaki following the creation of a coastal industrial zone, making the island of Koyagi accessible
by land. The island was home to the defunct Kawanami Heavy Industries Koyagi-jima Shipyard
and the remains of its dock structure were discovered recently at the Koyagi Plant. One of thevessels constructed at the Kawanami Heavy Industries’ plant here was the renowned Soya, anJapanese Antarctic-exploration vessel.