Kobelco Technology Review

KTR No.43 / Nov. 2025

Feature-Ⅰ: Digital Transformation to Embody KOBELCO’s Unique Value

In 2021, the Kobe Steel Group launched a mid-term plan. Since then, the group has reorganized the IT Strategy Committee, an advisory body to the Management Council, into the DX Strategy Committee and has been promoting digital transformation (DX) across the company. The DX strategy’s initiatives are divided into three steps: “STEP1: Proactive and bold digital ransformation,” “STEP2: KOBELCO’s transformation centered on digital transformation” and “STEP3: Pursuing KOBELCO’s unique identity through DX.” Various efforts are being made, from creating an environment for DX to providing new value to customers and society. This special issue explains examples of DX across the KOBELCO Group’s diverse business areas and operational divisions. It uses these examples to communicate the “KOBELCO’s unique value” that the Group hopes to achieve through DX.

Feature-Ⅱ: Materials and Technologies for Automobiles

In recent years, the automotive industry has been experiencing significant turbulence, driven by various challenges, such as CO₂ reduction, electrification, autonomous driving, enhanced safety, advancements in vehicle manufacturing technology, the push for recycling, the rise of new start-ups, and geopolitical risks. Meeting the increasingly complex demands of the modern automotive industry requires a diverse array of solutions, including (1) the use of multiple materials, such as steel, aluminum alloys, copper alloys, and titanium alloys; (2) advanced production technologies, including forming and joining; (3) testing and evaluation methods, including destructive testing and battery performance analysis; (4) various simulation techniques and AI applications; and (5) life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluation. The latest echnologies developed by the Kobelco Group will be introduced.