The roots of IHI extend back to 1853 and Japan’s first modern shipbuilding facility, Ishikawajima Shipyard, and has played a powerful role in Japan’s overall modernization. During the early 1900s, IHI grew extensively and began manufacturing steam turbines and motors. Later, IHI also made jet engines, sewing machines, heavy machinery, containers, aircraft engines, and diesel engines. In the 2000s, IHI added to its lineup transportation systems, space equipment, vehicle turbochargers, compressors, offshore equipment, and nuclear power -- and this is far from an exhaustive list.
In the area of heavy equipment, IHI manufactured mini excavators, rubber-tracked cranes, and tracked crawler dump trucks. In 2016, Japanese company KATO Works acquired IHI’s compact excavators and added them to an extensive product line that includes large hydraulic excavators, wheeled cranes, all-terrain cranes, and street sweepers.