IHI Logo PNG
Heavy industry includes manufacturing turbines, engines, and engineering structures used in the energy, aviation, and infrastructure sectors. Such systems operate under high loads and require precise calculations during the design phase. The IHI logo is associated with a Japanese company engaged in mechanical engineering, power equipment, and aerospace technologies.
IHI Corporation began in 1853. In Edo, the Ishikawajima Shipyard was founded. In 1856, it built Japan’s first steamship, called Asahi Maru. In 1889, the enterprise was renamed Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering and became one of the centers of Japan’s industrial development.
In the first half of the twentieth century, the company established new production facilities in aviation, energy, and shipbuilding. Among them were Harima Dock and Ishikawajima Shibaura Turbine. After World War II, the company went through reorganization. On June 22, 1960, Ishikawajima Heavy Industries and Harima Shipbuilding merged. As a result, Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Company Limited was created, later known as IHI.
In 1959, the company opened a shipyard in Brazil. In 1963, Jurong Shipyard was established in Singapore. By the 1970s, the company had grown into a major industrial group producing ships, aircraft engines, and power equipment.
In the 1980s, the company participated in the development of engines for F-15 fighter jets and Honda sports cars. In 1986, its technology was used in the RA166E engine, which powered Formula 1 racing cars.
In 2007, the enterprise changed its name to IHI Corporation. This reflected its focus on high-tech industries. In the 2010s, the company faced a series of scandals involving falsified test data. The situation led to restructuring and a tightening of the quality control system.
Since 2020, the company has focused its activities on key areas. Main attention is given to aerospace engines, shipbuilding, energy, and industrial machinery.
In 2023, the company signed an agreement with General Electric to jointly develop ammonia-powered gas turbines. This project supported Japan’s course toward achieving carbon neutrality.
The company continued to advance clean energy initiatives and strengthened its position among the world’s leading engineering corporations.
Meaning and History
What is IHI?
A Japanese engineering corporation founded on the site of the Ishikawajima Shipyard, it manufactures aircraft engines, turbochargers, ships, power plants, and industrial equipment. It was formed after the merger of Ishikawajima Heavy Industries and Harima Shipbuilding & Engineering, developed shipbuilding in Singapore, and participated in desalination projects in Kuwait and Brazil. The main areas of activity include engine production at the Soma, Mizuho, and Kure plants, manufacturing IHI Turbo turbochargers for leading automakers, and creating equipment for the energy and industrial sectors. More than 50 million turbochargers have been produced; the Honda RA166E engine for Formula 1 was developed; and turbines are supplied to Wärtsilä and Caterpillar.
1961 – today
IHI’s history began on December 5, 1853. By order of the shogunate, the Mito Domain opened Ishikawajima Shipyard on Ishikawajima Island in Edo, now Tokyo. The business was established to develop Japanese naval shipbuilding following the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry’s American squadron. The shipyard built Asahi Maru in 1856. Among its early projects, IHI mentions Chiyodamaru, the first Japanese steam-powered warship with a domestically produced steam engine.
The shipyard came under the management of Tomiji Hirano in 1876 and became Ishikawajima Hirano Shipyard. IHI identifies it as one of Japan’s first privately owned shipbuilding businesses. The company was registered as Ishikawajima Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in 1889.
Another part of the future name came from the historic Harima Province. Harima Dock Company, established in 1907, operated in the region. The merger of Ishikawajima Heavy Industries and Harima Shipbuilding & Engineering in 1960 created Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
The abbreviation IHI was formed from the initial letters of Ishikawajima-Harima Industries. The first “I” referred to Ishikawajima Island, “H” referred to Harima Province, and the final “I” stood for Industries. The blue monogram came into use following the 1960 merger. The English name Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries appeared beside it or on a lower line. International trademark registration began in 1961.
The board of directors announced a change to the corporate name on March 26, 2007. Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. became IHI Corporation on July 1. The shorter name suited an international group and united its businesses under one brand. The long form was associated mainly with shipbuilding and heavy industry. However, the company already produced aircraft engines, space systems, power equipment, bridges, transportation systems, turbochargers, and industrial machinery.
The IHI logo consists of three uppercase blue letters. They use a heavy typeface with large quadrilateral serifs. Thick vertical strokes create a dense wordmark, while rounded transitions soften the connections between the lines.
The letters “I” appear on the sides, with “H” in the middle. All letters have the same height and form a compact horizontal block. The broad top bars and heavy bases reinforce the unified monogram.
By 2007, rights to the IHI trademark had been registered in 26 countries. By 2009, the total had grown to 70 countries. Following the renaming, the monogram became the full public name of IHI Corporation. It appeared in group materials and communications with customers and international partners.
