MHI Selects "Best Innovation 2013" Awards

MHI launched its "Best Innovation" program in 2003, which has taken place every year, to recognize outstandingly creative new products, technologies and business operations of the preceding year. Awards are presented in four categories: "Best New Product Award," "Best New Business Process Award," "Special Award for Best New Technology" and "Special Award for Best Company Image Enhancer." From nominations for the awards put forward by MHI's own departments and Group companies, the final selections were made based on criteria including degree of innovative invention, level of technological advancement, synergy benefits on business operations, and scope of image enhancement.

Six new products were cited for the "Best New Product Award," which is bestowed on new products demonstrating MHI's superlative technological capabilities. Among the recipients is the bogie developed for the company's Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) cars; the cars, adopted for the first time as new cars on the Tokyo Waterfront New Transit Line (Yurikamome), are lightweight and deliver a smooth and quiet ride. The "Best New Business Process Award," which recognizes new processes that contribute to improvements in productivity or operational efficiency, was bestowed on two recipients. These include significant cost-reduction measures achieved by optimizing the procurement and production of forged blades with Chinese suppliers.

The "Special Award for Best New Technology," given in recognition of globally unprecedented technological innovations, was awarded to four recipients. Among them are the company's automation technologies for high speed drilling and measuring in the production of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) for difficult-to-cut aircraft parts. The "Special Award for Best Company Image Enhancer," which cites major contributions to enhancing MHI's technological status or corporate image, was conferred on two recipients. These include a program to put together a structure enabling annual production of 10 million turbochargers, machines that contribute to higher vehicle fuel efficiency and environmental enhancement.