Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines and Rolls-Royce celebrate 20 years of collaboration

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines, Ltd. (MHIAEL), a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), and Rolls-Royce plc held a ceremony at MHIAEL on 28 November, 2024 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their partnership which was initiated with the 2004 signing of their first Risk & Revenue Sharing Partnership Agreement.

The ceremony was attended by Toshiyuki Hashi, Executive Vice President, President and CEO, Energy Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Masanori Ushida, President & CEO, MHIAEL, Rob Watson, President - Civil Aerospace Rolls-Royce, Susumu Kaminaga, President of Rolls-Royce Japan and others. At the ceremony, executives from both companies gave speeches expressing gratitude for the long-standing collaboration and affirmed intent on further developing joint business opportunities and deepening the relationship for the future.

MHI/MHIAEL and Rolls-Royce began their collaboration with the Trent 1000 engine program that powers the Boeing 787 fleet in 2004, and have since expanded it to encompass engine programs that power four aircraft types: the Trent XWB-84 program that powers the Airbus A350-900 fleet in 2008, the Trent XWB-97 program that powers the Airbus A350-1000 fleet in 2013, and the Trent 7000 program that powers the Airbus A330neo fleet in 2015.

Masanori Ushida, President & CEO at MHIAEL, said at the ceremony,

"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Rolls-Royce for this important milestone of 20 years since our collaboration in 2004. Over the past 20 years, our relationship has evolved into a strategic partnership in the wide-body engine business through business operations, technological development, and personnel exchange. As a result, our business with Rolls-Royce has steadily grown as an important pillar of our company. I am confident that we will continue to develop our business and deepen our collaboration in this field."

Rob Watson, President of Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce said,

"We are incredibly proud of our long-standing partnership with MHIAEL. This trusted relationship has been driven by the dedication of employees in both companies, looking to consistently deliver high quality products that address the opportunities and challenges of the future.

It is long-term, win-win partnerships of this kind that lead next generation thinking for our customers, deepening world-class engineering and technology. We’re looking forward to many more years of collaboration with MHIAEL and building this great relationship in Japan."

Going forward, MHIAEL and Rolls-Royce will continue to strengthen their collaborative relationship to further develop their aircraft engine businesses.