IHI Turbo Co., Ltd.

IHI Turbo Co., Ltd. (株式会社IHIターボ) is a Japanese manufacturer of vehicle turbochargers and a wholly owned subsidiary of IHI Corporation, one of Japan's major heavy-industry groups. The company is headquartered in Ōkuwa Village, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture, and operates manufacturing plants in the Kiso and Shinmachi areas of Nagano. Its business is focused on the development and mass production of turbochargers for automotive, marine, construction-machinery and other engine applications. The company's roots go back to Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine Co., Ltd., which began producing turbine blades, aircraft supercharger parts and valves in 1943. After a series of reorganizations within the Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) group, Ishikawajima General-Purpose Machinery Co., Ltd. (IHK) was established in September 1962 as a wholly owned manufacturing arm of IHI's general-purpose machinery division, and began producing turbochargers and compressors. In July 2007, the vehicle turbocharger business was spun off into a new company, IHI Turbo Co., Ltd., which inherited IHK's turbocharger operations while the rotating machinery and aircraft equipment businesses were transferred to IHI Rotating Machinery Co., Ltd. IHI Turbo produces a broad range of turbochargers, from the RHF series to the RHG9, covering a wide range of engine displacements. Its products are used in applications ranging from kei cars and supercars to large trucks, pleasure boats and construction machinery. The company has achieved successive cumulative production milestones: 5 million vehicle turbochargers in 1995, 10 million in 2002, 19 million in 2010, 20 million in 2011, 25 million in 2016, 30 million in 2019, 35 million in 2023, and 40 million in 2026. It has also expanded internationally, including a joint venture in Changchun, China (Changchun Fawer Ishikawajima Turbocharger Co., Ltd.) established in 2003 and a capital participation in IHI Turbo Thailand in 2005. As of April 2026, IHI Turbo employed 592 people (including officers) with capital of 1 billion yen. Its Kiso Works, established in 1962, and Shinmachi Plant, established in 2006, together cover a total site area of 90,600 m² and a total building area of 38,900 m². The company positions itself as a supplier of small, lightweight, high-performance turbochargers and emphasizes health and productivity management under the IHI Group's management philosophy.

The history of IHI Turbo Co., Ltd. begins with Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine Co., Ltd., which in July 1943 established its Tatsuno Plant through a joint investment with the former Katakura Silk Reeling Co., Ltd., starting production of turbine blades, aircraft supercharger parts and valves. In November 1943, the company acquired a spinning mill in the Kiso area and established the Kiso Plant to produce in-house tools and jigs. In November 1944, it established the Ina Plant through a joint investment with Ina Electric Railway Co., Ltd., starting production of aircraft supercharger parts. In April 1950, Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine merged its Tatsuno and Ina plants and established Shibaura Sewing Machine Co., Ltd. with capital of 20 million yen, producing turbine blades and sewing machines. In April 1961, the Kiso Plant was reorganized as Ishikawajima Shibaura Seiki Co., Ltd. Kiso Plant with capital of 200 million yen following a business separation. In May 1962, Shibaura Sewing Machine and Ishikawajima Shibaura Seiki signed an absorption merger agreement with Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (IHI). In September 1962, IHI established Ishikawajima General-Purpose Machinery Co., Ltd. (IHK) as a wholly owned manufacturing arm of its general-purpose machinery division with capital of 50 million yen. In November 1962, IHK increased its capital to 200 million yen and began production and sales of turbochargers, compressors and related products. In June 1978, capital was increased to 1.76 billion yen. In October 1993, IHK began mass production of the Lysholm compressor (supercharger) for the world's first automotive Miller-cycle engine. In June 1995, cumulative production of vehicle turbochargers reached 5 million units. In September 1998, the Kiso No. 2 Plant was built and began production to meet increasing demand for vehicle turbochargers. In November 1999, the Kiso Works received the TPM Excellence Award First Class from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance. In January 2002, cumulative production of vehicle turbochargers reached 10 million units. In April 2002, Okaya Metal Co., Ltd. was closed and IHK took over its business, restarting it as the Casting Department of the Small Turbocharger Division. In July 2003, the Casting Department (former Okaya Metal) was closed after 35 years. In November 2003, a joint venture agreement was signed with FAW Fawer, IHI, IHK and Itochu, establishing Changchun Fawer Ishikawajima Turbocharger Co., Ltd. in China. In November 2005, IHI Turbo participated in the capital of IHI Turbo Thailand. In April 2006, Kiso Electronics Precision Co., Ltd. became a subsidiary. In August 2006, the Tatsuno and Shinmachi plants were established and began production to increase vehicle turbocharger output. In April 2007, Kiso Electronics Precision was absorbed through merger. In July 2007, IHI Turbo Co., Ltd. was established, inheriting IHK's business, while the rotating machinery and aircraft equipment businesses were split off into IHI Rotating Machinery Co., Ltd. (ICM). In December 2007, capital was increased and decreased in conjunction with the spin-off, resulting in capital of 1 billion yen. In April 2009, the Shinmachi Plant business was transferred from ICM to IHI Turbo. In November 2010, cumulative production reached 19 million units. In November 2011, it reached 20 million units. In May 2014, the Shinmachi Plant Building No. 2 was completed. In January 2016, cumulative production reached 25 million units. In September 2019, it reached 30 million units. In April 2023, it reached 35 million units. In August 2026, it reached 40 million units. As of April 2026, the company had 592 employees (including officers) and capital of 1 billion yen. Its headquarters is located at 1417 Suhara, Ōkuwa Village, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture. The Kiso Works (three plants) has a total site area of 65,300 m² and total building area of 22,200 m², while the Shinmachi Plant has a total site area of 25,300 m² and total building area of 16,700 m². Total site area across all plants is 90,600 m² and total building area is 38,900 m². The company is led by Representative Director and President Naoki Tokue.

• Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine Co., Ltd. established its Tatsuno Plant through joint investment with Katakura Silk Reeling Co., Ltd., starting production of turbine blades, aircraft supercharger parts and valves.

• Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine established its Kiso Plant by acquiring a spinning mill in the Kiso area, starting production of in-house tools and jigs.

• Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine established its Ina Plant through joint investment with Ina Electric Railway Co., Ltd., starting production of aircraft supercharger parts.

• Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine merged its Tatsuno and Ina plants and established Shibaura Sewing Machine Co., Ltd. with capital of 20 million yen.

• The Kiso Plant was reorganized as Ishikawajima Shibaura Seiki Co., Ltd. Kiso Plant with capital of 200 million yen.

• Shibaura Sewing Machine and Ishikawajima Shibaura Seiki signed an absorption merger agreement with Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

• Ishikawajima General-Purpose Machinery Co., Ltd. (IHK) was established as a wholly owned manufacturing arm of IHI's general-purpose machinery division with capital of 50 million yen.

• IHK increased its capital to 200 million yen and began production and sales of turbochargers, compressors and related products.

• IHK increased its capital to 1.76 billion yen.

• IHK began mass production of the Lysholm compressor (supercharger) for the world's first automotive Miller-cycle engine.

• Cumulative production of vehicle turbochargers reached 5 million units.

• Kiso No. 2 Plant was built and began production to meet increasing demand for vehicle turbochargers.

• Kiso Works received the TPM Excellence Award First Class from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance.

• Cumulative production of vehicle turbochargers reached 10 million units.

• Okaya Metal Co., Ltd. was closed and IHK took over its business, restarting it as the Casting Department of the Small Turbocharger Division.

• The Casting Department (former Okaya Metal) was closed after 35 years.

• A joint venture agreement was signed with FAW Fawer, IHI, IHK and Itochu, establishing Changchun Fawer Ishikawajima Turbocharger Co., Ltd. in China.

• IHI Turbo participated in the capital of IHI Turbo Thailand.

• Kiso Electronics Precision Co., Ltd. became a subsidiary.

• Tatsuno and Shinmachi plants were established and began production to increase vehicle turbocharger output.

• Kiso Electronics Precision Co., Ltd. was absorbed through merger.

• IHI Turbo Co., Ltd. was established, inheriting IHK's business, while the rotating machinery and aircraft equipment businesses were split off into IHI Rotating Machinery Co., Ltd.

• Capital was increased and decreased in conjunction with the spin-off, resulting in capital of 1 billion yen.

• The Shinmachi Plant business was transferred from ICM to IHI Turbo.

Small, lightweight, high-performance turbochargers for a wide range of engine displacements and applications, from kei cars to supercars, trucks, boats and construction machinery.

• RHF series turbochargers

  Turbochargers covering a range of engine displacements.

• RHG series turbochargers (up to RHG9)

  Turbochargers covering a wide range of engine displacements.

• Lysholm compressor (supercharger)

  Mass-produced for the world's first automotive Miller-cycle engine.

1. 1株式会社IHIターボihi.co.jp
2. 2株式会社IHIターボ 沿革ihi.co.jp
3. 3株式会社IHIターボ 会社概要ihi.co.jp
4. 4Offices | About IHI | IHI Corporationihi.co.jp
5. 5IHI Turbo Co., Ltd. (Japan) - Wikidatawikidata.org