Meet our people
Koji Kiyonaga, Manufacturing Engineer working with IHI

As a manufacturing engineer at Rolls-Royce, I work with UK-based colleagues from diverse backgrounds to provide technical support and management for the manufacture of components. Our partners in the supply chain, both domestic and international, are involved in numerous manufacturing tasks, including manufacturing transfer and improving processes. We help them to improve the QCD (quality, cost and delivery) of their products by sharing knowledge and validating and approving their manufacturing processes.

There are many differences between our team in the UK and our partner companies, including time zones, distance, language, organisational culture, company rules, priorities and the information we have access to, which can sometimes hinder progress toward our shared goals. These differences are complex and require strong humanities-related skills (intellectual, social/interpersonal and self-control) to work smoothly between the two parties. I consider it most important to support each other's goals and act as a bridge between the inside and outside of Rolls-Royce. It is a challenging job, but I find it extremely rewarding as I grow with my team members and our partners on a daily basis.

In October 2023, IHI Corporation’s Soma Plant shipped its three millionth turbine blade. Three million blades is a huge number and shows how important our partner IHI is to Rolls-Royce's commercial aircraft engine manufacturing. December 2023 also marked the 35th anniversary of the partnership between Rolls-Royce and IHI, and the 25th anniversary of the start of production of Rolls-Royce turbine blades at the IHI Soma Plant. I would like to thank all the members of the IHI Soma team for their diligence, hard work, dedication and commitment to quality that has made the partnership between Rolls-Royce and IHI a success over the past 25 years. The new generation of turbine blades to be produced at IHI Soma are expected to be in high demand for decades to come. I will do my best to support the success of both companies.