Aisin AW Co., Ltd. Business Report FY ended Mar. 2017
Recent Years
Business Overview (FY ended Mar. 31, 2017)
-Sales in the fiscal year that ended in March 2017 were JPY 1 trillion, 431 billion, a year-over-year (y/y) increase of 12.1%, thanks to higher sales of automatic transmissions due to successful sales activities targeted to markets outside Japan.
-Operating income rose by 21.7% y/y, to JPY 122.9 billion, thanks to effective initiatives that improved the profit structure, such as higher sales and effective cost improvements. Nevertheless, negative factors included higher expenses such as R&D expenses and a loss from foreign currency translation, which impacted income.
Business Plan
-The Company has established a new "Syncromatic" drivetrain brand, which is the first brand for the company. As a symbol of high-performance drivetrains, the Syncromatic brand will be used for new products in stages, starting with drivetrains based on Toyota's New Global Architecture (TNGA) concept. Aisin AW president Mutsumi Kawamoto described the aim of establishing the new brand, "Automatic transmissions are considered to be old compared with dual clutch transmissions. We will appeal to the high performance of automatic transmissions." (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on December 10, 2016)
-The Company announced that it established an Electronics Business Division on October 1. The new division has about 1,200 employees, and integrates the electronics engineering unit from the automatic transmission division and the electronics engineering and manufacturing units from the vehicle information technology division. At Aisin AW, the different development units for the company's mainstay automatic transmissions and car navigation systems previously conducted computer design and software development independently. With this organizational reform as an impetus, the company will combine technologies and expertise of the different units to improve its development efficiency. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on October 1, 2016)
R&D Expenditure |
(in millions of JPY) |
| FY ended Mar. 31, 2017 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2016 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2015 | |
| Overall | 69,200 | 65,800 | 55,400 |
R&D Facilities
| Name | Location |
| Monozukuri Center | Aichi Pref., Japan |
| AW Technical Center U.S.A., Inc. | Michigan, USA |
| AW Technical Center Europe S.A. | Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium |
| AW Suzhou Technical Center Co., Ltd. | Suzhou, China |
R&D Activities
-In order to respond to the diversification of drivetrain systems and the high-level of information/connectivity in our car-oriented society, the Company is advancing R&D activities to develop innovative products designed for the next generation by positioning its expertise on products and technologies such as transmissions and car-navigation systems that it has developed over the years, as the foundation of its R&D activities.
-The Company will enter the electric vehicle (EV) powertrain business. The company will develop drive motors, reducers, and inverters in-house, and supply them as a package to automakers. It aims to put the package into commercial application targeting Chinese operations of European carmakers. Along with this move, Aisin AW will set up an advance development section for EV systems in January 2017 and increase the number of electrical system engineers to more than twice the current number in 2020. The company intends to develop EV systems that are expected to enjoy demand expansion in the future, and nurture it as a new business utilizing knowledge on motor technologies it has gained through hybrid system development. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on December 10, 2016)
Product Development
Developed New Transmission for the Lexus LC
-The Company an Aisin Seiki Group company, announced on March 27 that it has jointly developed new transmissions for the new Lexus LC coupe with Toyota Motor Corporation. The companies developed the FR Multi Stage Hybrid transmission for hybrid variants and FR 10-speed automatic transmission for gasoline-powered variants. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on March 28, 2017)
Developed a Single-motor Transmission for Hybrids
-The Company an Aisin Seiki Group company, will achieve practical utilization of a one-motor transmission for hybrid vehicles (HVs) by the end of 2018. The one-motor transmission will allow a more simplified configuration than the two-motor transmissions that Aisin AW is mass-produces. The company will generate demand for the one-motor transmission primarily from Chinese and European OEMs. Aisin AW will strengthen its transmission lineup for HVs to address a wide spectrum of needs and expand its operations. (From an article in the Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun on January 12, 2017)
Capital Expenditure
|
(in millions of JPY) |
| FY ended Mar. 31, 2017 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2016 | FY ended Mar. 31, 2015 | |
| Overall | 72,319 | 123,236 | 78,820 |
Capital Investment Spending
-As of March 31, 2017, the Company plans to spend JPY 81,000 million in facilities to manufacture drivetrains.