FPT and Smart Holdings unite for Japan’s manufacturing DX

Global IT Corporation FPT has entered a joint venture with Smart Holdings Co., Ltd. (Smart Holdings), a leading Japan-based IT solutions provider specializing in the manufacturing sector, to establish FPT Smart Technologies Japan Co., Ltd. (FST-Japan). Headquartered in Nagoya, the joint venture aims to accelerate digital transformation across Japan’s manufacturing industry, with a strategic focus on the automotive sector.

FPT and Smart Holdings have restructured their collaboration into a joint venture, with FPT acquiring a 49 percent stake and Smart Holdings retaining 51 percent. The partnership addresses rising demand for digital transformation in Japan’s manufacturing sector, driven by trends such as Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), carbon neutrality, and Mobility as a Service (MaaS). FPT brings advanced technical expertise in AI, digital engineering, and vision-language models, while Smart Holdings contributes deep knowledge of Japan’s manufacturing industry and strong ties with leading automotive companies.

FST-Japan will initially focus on projects with a major automotive company, with plans to expand to additional automotive clients in the future. Key priorities include digitizing design drawings, enhancing solution proposals, and supporting manufacturers in meeting stringent quality, cost, and delivery (QCD) standards. Over the next five years, the company anticipates generating approximately USD 20 million (JPY 3 billion) in business opportunities.

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Koichiro Sato, President and CEO, Smart Holdings, stated: “We will create new value by combining a global perspective and world-class manpower with Japan’s quality and on-site capabilities, delivering innovative services to manufacturers, especially automotive clients.”

Building on its strong track record in Japan, エフピーティー brings deep local experience and global scale to the new joint venture, particularly in the automotive domain, one of its five strategic pillars. Leveraging its two decades of expertise in automotive technology, the corporation established a dedicated automotive subsidiary in 2023 and now operates a global network of 5,000 engineers serving top OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, and chipmakers. Its commitment to delivery excellence is reflected in adherence to international standards such as ISO 26262, ISO/SAE 21434, A-SPICE Level 3, and TiSAX, positioning the company as a trusted partner in driving digital transformation across the next generation of mobility.

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