Kawasaki Heavy Industries group restructures its motorcycle division
The sprawling Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) group sets up a vast restructuring plan to face the challenges of the next ten years, with in particular more autonomy granted to its motorcycle division. Explanations.
For many bikers, Kawasaki represents green motorcycles that go fast. But this definition is as simplistic as it is incomplete: two-wheelers represent only about 20% of the turnover of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries group, which manufactures trains (the famous "Shinkansen"), helicopters, ships, turbines and robots. !
- MNC file :
- MNC file :
No need to draw you a picture: the benefits – but also the investments – are incomparable between a Z650 at 7,000 euros and a high-speed train of 20 or 30 million euros, not to mention the giant container ships that exceed the 100 million euros! The history of Kawasaki begins in 1878 with a shipyard in Tokyo (Japan), and not a motorcycle.
But the two-wheeler is not just a pretty showcase for the group and its "36,332" employees (!), On the contrary even in these troubled times: KHI describes the negative impact of the coronavirus on its main activities – especially of transport – during the second quarter of 2020, but on the contrary is pleased with the good health of its motorcycle division (which also includes buggies and other all-terrain utilities) !
Motorcycles on the right track
"The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Japanese rail operators to review their short-term investment plans in response to the drop in passenger numbers," explains the Japanese giant, also penalized by the long delays caused by the crisis health on "the construction of new railway lines".
Kawaski Heavy Industries, however, remains confident about the development potential of rail systems in its strategic plan for the next ten years "Groupvision 2030", citing "relatively stable growth" motivated by the growing needs for travel in "large cities in high concentration population ", especially in Asia.
To better weather the crisis, KHI is relying in particular on the encouraging results of its motorcycle activities in the second half of the year compared to 2019: its sales in Europe are holding up positively given the context and the constraints related to containment (s) . Added to this is the success of its all-terrain vehicles in the United States: motocross and all-terrain four-wheeled "Kawa" (buggy, ATV, etc.) are on the rise in this country, however. most affected by Covid-19.
Conversely Kawasaki recorded a "significant decline in emerging markets" with 158,000 units sold in the second quarter of 2019 against 84,000 in the second quarter of 2020. To see over time, but this observation calls out when Asia, India and South America is Eldorado for many motorcycle manufacturers !
KHI therefore considers that it must show itself to be "agile and flexible" in order to tackle the coming decade: this industrial flexibility involves in particular the "split of the Motorcycles and Motors company" from the "Power Sports" branch. Concretely, the motorcycle brand will become a new more autonomous entity from "October 2021".
This decision "will accelerate decision-making while offering products and services synchronized with customers – including new lifestyle offerings," says Kawasaki Heavy Industries, aware of the challenges facing its motorcycle division…
Kawasaki provides plenty of energy … Green, of course !
"Our industry as a whole is facing important problems such as aging customers and compliance with environmental regulations," recalls the Green brand, which hopes to respond to these issues through "intra-industrial cooperation" such as .
Another sector that will be further explored in the future by the KHI group: hydrogen propulsion. "The growing attention to hydrogen in recent years, as a clean energy source that does not emit CO2, means that opportunities are rapidly developing around this energy that Kawasaki has worked on for a long time.".
The restructuring plan of the Japanese group therefore provides "to accelerate its efforts" to become a "leading company in the field of hydrogen", predicts Kawasaki Heavy Industries which may be preparing the future with a hypothetical Ninja H2 sur- powered … by hydrogen! Stay connected.
Related articles
-
Qianjang partners with MV Agusta to launch new Benelli motorcycles Could 2021 be the year of the real rise of Chinese motorcycle manufacturers? Still,…
-
Culture – The Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle saga celebrates its 30th anniversary – KAWASAKI occasions
The Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle saga celebrates its 30th anniversary Kawasaki took advantage of the presentation in Spain of its official World Superbike…
-
R&D – Indian group Mahindra restarts its English motorcycle brand BSA – Occasions BSA
Indian group Mahindra restarts its British motorcycle brand BSA Jealous of the success of Royal Enfield (owned by the Indian group Eicher) and in no way…
-
Why Polaris is shutting down Victory Motorcycles The Polaris group has just announced the end of the activities of the Victory Motorcycles brand … The…
-
Bimota receives official Kawasaki backing and unveils Tesi H2 Kawasaki Motors Europe is doubly participating in the rebirth of Bimota, the famous Italian…
-
Z900RS test: the new neo-retro Kawasaki Zed, zen and zealous Kawasaki is back in the neo-retro segment with a brand new motorcycle: the Z900RS! Site was…
-
Kawasaki Z 800 versus Yamaha FZ8 in MOTORCYCLE group test
The new naked bikes from Kawasaki and Yamaha Comparison test between Kawasaki Z 800 and Yamaha FZ8 The middle class is dead? Are you kidding me? Are you…
-
Practice – Euro4 motorcycle standards condemn the Kawasaki W800 – Used KAWASAKI
Euro4 motorcycle standards condemn the Kawasaki W800 Euro4 standards, imposed on new motorcycles since the start of the year and compulsory on all new…
-
Company life – Indian manufacturer TVS acquires English brand Norton – Occasions NORTON
Indian manufacturer TVS acquires English brand Norton End of the financial turmoil for Norton: riddled with debt, the venerable English brand passes into…
-
The end of Victory Motorcycles marks a new milestone for Indian After the announcement of the end of Victory Motorcycles activities, what are the…