HardwareTokyo, Japan· One of 1756 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse
Develops and commercializes metal 3D printers using laser-based additive manufacturing technology for industrial applications
CEO / Founder
Eisaku Ito (伊藤 栄作)
Team Size
5001-10000
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$19M
Latest Round
Undisclosed
Technology & Products
Key Products
MHI's key products and solutions include wind power systems, compressors, air quality solutions, and the development of AI and digital products and services. Their focus is on manufacturing technologies.
Technological Advantage
Proprietary laser-based metal AM technology integrated with MHI's extensive industrial ecosystem and quality control systems
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Provides industrial-grade metal 3D printing solutions that enable production of complex components with reduced lead times and material waste
How They Differentiate
Combines industrial-scale manufacturing heritage with AM technology, offering integrated solutions from a diversified conglomerate with deep aerospace and defense expertise
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Aerospace, defense, energy, and industrial manufacturing companies
Siemens Energy, General Electric, Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Expanded metal 3D printing services in July 2024 by adding binder jetting (BJT) technology to complement existing DED systems; increased 3D printer usage from initial implementation to 5 active machines for prototyping and scale models.
Major Milestones
1884: Company origins in shipbuilding (長崎造船所); 1964: Merger of three companies to formally establish Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.; 2020s: Commercialization of metal 3D printer technology
Notable Customers
MHI primarily serves B2B and B2G clients across Energy Systems, Plants & Infrastructure, and Logistics sectors.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is a Japanese industrial conglomerate that has entered the metal additive manufacturing market by commercializing laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) systems. Unlike pure-play AM startups, MHI draws on over a century of heavy machinery, aerospace, and energy systems expertise to build machines optimized for production-grade metal components. The company's shift from product-led to solutions-focused selling reflects an effort to embed AM within broader manufacturing workflows.
MHI's core AM technology centers on proprietary laser-based metal processes integrated with the conglomerate's existing quality control and industrial ecosystem. In July 2024, the company expanded its service offering by adding binder jetting (BJT) to complement its DED systems, and it now operates five active 3D printers for prototyping and scale models. Key partnerships include EOS for 3D printers used in rocket engine parts, JAXA for H3 rocket development, and Marubeni Information Systems for implementation support.
Target customers span aerospace primes, defense contractors, energy firms, and industrial machinery manufacturers. MHI's AM solutions are positioned to reduce lead times and material waste for complex metal parts such as turbine components and structural aerospace brackets. The company's deep ties to the Japanese aerospace and defense ecosystem, including its work on the H3 launch vehicle, provide a captive application pipeline that many independent AM hardware vendors lack.
MHI's competitive moat lies in its diversified industrial base and ability to offer integrated solutions spanning design, simulation, and post-processing. However, it faces strong competition from established AM hardware leaders like GE Additive and EOS, as well as from other industrial conglomerates such as Siemens Energy and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The open question is whether MHI can achieve the same adoption velocity in commercial AM markets as it has in captive internal applications.