News

Business Engineering Corporation (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Masakazu Haneda; hereinafter "B-EN-G") is pleased to announce that a new book co-authored with Privect Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Kazuma Kitayama) and Zuken Presight Inc. (President and CEO: Yasuhisa Oda), titled "PLM and Cost Planning for Profitable Manufacturing: Practical Edition Next-Generation PLM with AI x BOM x BOP: A New Manufacturing Strategy Guided by Data Models," was released on March 18, 2026 (Wednesday) by Toyo Keizai Inc. This book is a sequel to the previous book published in 2019, which was well-received by many in the field. Based on the latest trends such as DX, AI, and ERP integration, this book condenses concrete know-how for making PLM a "truly usable management foundation."
URL https://str.toyokeizai.net/books/9784492962619/

■Three key points of this book

• A thorough analysis of "data models"
  This book provides an in-depth explanation of the structure of BOM (Bill of Materials) and BOP (Bill of Process), which are the heart of PLM. It reveals the essence of the "data model," showing how to synchronize the tree structure of the BOM and the network structure of the BOP to prevent system requirements from becoming misguided.
• Responding to the latest trends
  This book covers essential perspectives for modern manufacturing, including the use of AI in manufacturing and advanced methods for integrating PLM and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems.
• A management perspective for "profitability"
  This approach goes beyond simple design data management, offering methods to visualize product profit and loss and directly link it to management decision-making.

■Book overview

• Book Title: PLM and Cost Planning for Profitable Manufacturing: Practical Edition
  Next-generation PLM powered by AI, BOM, and BOP: A new manufacturing strategy driven by data models.
• Author: Kazuma Kitayama (CEO, Privect Co., Ltd.)
  Yasuhisa Oda (President and CEO, Zuken Presight Inc.)
  Masaru  Wakabayashi (Deputy General Manager, Product Consulting Department, Product Business Division, B-EN-G)
• Release date: March 18, 2026 (Wednesday)
• Price: 2,200 yen (tax included)
• Published by: Toyo Keizai Inc.
• ISBN：9784492962619

■Author Profile

Kazuma Kitayama, Representative Director, Privect Co., Ltd.

After serving as a director at an IT consulting firm and a manufacturing consulting firm, he founded Privect. He works on corporate transformation based on the concept of integrating design and cost to realize competitive and profitable products. His consulting services include advanced design, design knowledge management, cost planning, cost estimation, development purchasing, lifecycle costing, decision-making management accounting, AI-based cost tables, BOM, PDM, and PLM. His numerous publications include "When We Stopped Making Loss-Making Products, Our Losses Increased Even More!" (Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun), "Profitable Design: The Real Reason the iPhone is Profitable" (Nikkei BP), and "PLM and Cost Planning for Profitable Manufacturing" (Toyo Keizai Inc.).

Yasuhisa Oda, President and CEO of Zuken Presight Inc.

He joined Zuken Inc. in 2000 and was involved in the sales of PDM and 3D data utilization tools for the electrical manufacturing industry. He was involved in the product planning stage of the company's proprietary PLM software, which was announced in 2011, and was responsible for proposing reforms through the construction of PLM systems for a wide range of manufacturing industries, including machinery, electrical equipment, heavy industry, medical, and housing equipment, as well as being the project manager. After the company was spun off in 2016 (establishment of Zuken Presight) with the aim of improving business speed, he devoted himself to expanding the solutions offered by promoting collaboration with business partners, including Business Engineering Corporation. He assumed his current position in 2024.

Masaru Wakabayashi, Deputy General Manager, Product Consulting Department, Product Business Division Business Engineering Corporation

Having worked in the IT industry for over 30 years, specializing in solutions for the manufacturing sector, I have experience in both design (3D CAD) and manufacturing management (ERP). Since my 40s, I have focused on bridging information gaps between departments, with BOM (Bill of Materials) at its core. Currently, as an unconventional PLM evangelist for an ERP manufacturer, I am disseminating a perspective that re-examines BOM/BOP as a "structural problem" through seminars and writing.

■About Business Engineering Corporation (B-EN-G)
Business Engineering Corporation (B-EN-G) supports the digital transformation of its customers, primarily in the manufacturing sector, through IT. The company has extensive experience in consulting and support services, from IT planning to system construction, implementation, and operation, as well as the sales and implementation of its proprietary package software, "mcframe." B-EN-G also helps customers advance their systems and improve operations by utilizing data accumulated from ERP, SCM, IoT, and other systems. With five overseas subsidiaries in China (Shanghai), Thailand (Bangkok), Singapore, Indonesia (Jakarta), and the USA (Chicago), B-EN-G offers products and services to global companies, working closely with them both in Japan and locally to resolve their management challenges. 
For more information, please visit:https://www.b-en-g.co.jp/​

Note: All product names and names mentioned in this release are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.