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While Hitachi Ltd.'s train business had a hand in constructing the Shinkansen "700-Series Nozomi" rolling stock, it was an unknown in the West. Ten years ago, Hitachi made its debut in the rolling stock market in the birthplace of railroads, England, but struggled in its first years. But hard work and an aggressive PR campaign has paid off and the firm is now gaining its footing in the market.
After ten years of struggle and overcoming three daunting obstacles: 174 cars
Hitachi's Kasado Plant, located in Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi Prefecture on the Seto Inland Sea. In the recently expanded railcar shop, production continues on a set of royal blue cars featuring yellow fronts--rolling stock bound for England's High Speed 1 (Channel Tunnel Rail Link, CTRL), set to begin service in 2009. It's already over a year since production began at full pace, with 24 cars already having crossed the ocean. By next year, the complete order of 174 cars will have been procured.
Hitachi began taking orders for English trainsets in 1999. Domestically, Hitachi has battled with Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the top spot, but its international business was primarily restricted to involvement with official development assistance (ODA) for developing countries. Hitachi had virtually no experience in markets in developed countries outside of Japan.
However, with the domestic market reaching its peak, the "prospect for expansion was dim" (Mitsutomi Shin'ya, General Manager of the International Transport Business Line). The sense of crisis became motivation to jump into the market in the "birthplace of the railroad." In fact, Kawasaki had already successfully made the jump.
http://www.asahi.com/business/topics/TKY200809090356.html
After ten years of struggle and overcoming three daunting obstacles: 174 cars
Hitachi's Kasado Plant, located in Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi Prefecture on the Seto Inland Sea. In the recently expanded railcar shop, production continues on a set of royal blue cars featuring yellow fronts--rolling stock bound for England's High Speed 1 (Channel Tunnel Rail Link, CTRL), set to begin service in 2009. It's already over a year since production began at full pace, with 24 cars already having crossed the ocean. By next year, the complete order of 174 cars will have been procured.
Hitachi began taking orders for English trainsets in 1999. Domestically, Hitachi has battled with Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the top spot, but its international business was primarily restricted to involvement with official development assistance (ODA) for developing countries. Hitachi had virtually no experience in markets in developed countries outside of Japan.
However, with the domestic market reaching its peak, the "prospect for expansion was dim" (Mitsutomi Shin'ya, General Manager of the International Transport Business Line). The sense of crisis became motivation to jump into the market in the "birthplace of the railroad." In fact, Kawasaki had already successfully made the jump.
http://www.asahi.com/business/topics/TKY200809090356.html
