| Year |
History of DENSO |
| 1949 |
Nippondenso Co. Ltd (now DENSO Corporation) established in Kariya, near Nagoya, Japan; beginning with the manufacture and sales of electrical components and radiators for cars |
| 1953 |
Technical cooperation with Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany |
| 1954 |
Establishment of the first technical training centre to improve employees’ technical skills; underlining DENSO’s belief that progress is achieved through the development of people – a philosophy that is still applied today |
| 1955 |
Establishment of Injection Pump Preparation Section |
| 1956 |
Establishment of Refrigerator Preparation Section |
| 1957 |
Establishment of AICHI DENSO CO. LTD (consolidated in 1959) to start spark plug business |
| 1961 |
Awarded the Deming Prize, the most prestigious recognition of quality control. This made DENSO the first automotive parts supplier in Japan – and only the second in the Japanese automotive industry – to be awarded the Deming Prize |
| 1964 |
Adoption of DENSO Policy based on the trade liberalisation of Japan |
| 1965 |
Operations start at Ikeda Plant and Hiroshima Plant |
| 1966 |
Adoption of DENSO Policy based on the capital liberalisation of Japan
Establishment of Chicago sales office and branch offices in Los Angeles and Detroit, USA |
| 1967 |
Operations start at Anjo Plant |
| 1968 |
Establishment of IC Research Centre |
| 1970 |
Operations start at Nishio Plant
Adoption of DENSO Health & Safety and Environment Standard
Establishment of overseas branch office in Stuttgart, Germany |
| 1971 |
Establishment of Nippondenso Los Angeles, Inc. as the first overseas subsidiary
Adoption of DENSO Globalisation Policy |
| 1972 |
Establishment of Nippondenso Thailand Co. Ltd, Nippondenso (Australia) Pty Ltd and Nippondenso Canada Inc |
| 1973 |
Nippondenso Europe (now DENSO International Europe) established in The Netherlands. The current regional headquarters is located just outside Amsterdam |
| 1974 |
Adoption of DENSO New Management Policy (after the oil crisis)
Operations start at Takatana Plant |
1975
|
World’s first spark plug with U-groove electrode |
| 1978 |
Started consignment production of small motors to what is currently known as Asmo Co. Ltd |
| 1979 |
Awarded the first Okochi Memorial Production Prize (Production Engineering Section)
Adoption of DENSO Policy for the 1980s (aiming to become a corporation with sales of one trillion yen after 10 years) |
| 1980 |
Establishment of Nippondenso Compressores Ltda in Brazil
Awarded the Minister of International Trade and Industry Prize for excellent energy control at the plant |
| 1982 |
Operations start at Daian Plant |
| 1984 |
Opening of Nukata Testing Centre
Establishment of DENSO Taiyo Co. Ltd
Tie-up with Allen-Bradley Co. Inc. in regard to factory automation (FA) business
Establishment of Nippondenso Manufacturing USA Inc. in Michigan
Opening of DENSO Sales UK Ltd
Opening of DENSO AUTOMOTIVE Deutschland GmbH |
| 1985 |
First recognition of In-house Technical Skill Certification (in-house trade skills test)
Establishment of Nippondenso America, Inc. near Detroit
Received the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) Medal for New Technology for the first time |
| 1986 |
Adoption of DENSO Policy for the 1990s (aiming to become global DENSO)
Establishment of Technical Education Centre
Operations start at DENSO Thermal Systems S.p.A. in Italy |
| 1987 |
Operations start at Toyohashi Plant
Establishment of DENSO Technical College
Operations start at Kota Plant |
| 1989 |
Establishment of DENSO’s first manufacturing company in Europe, DENSO Barcelona S.A.. The Spanish facility started producing ignition coils. This was quickly followed by the incorporation of an existing facility in the United Kingdom for the production of radiators, known as DENSO Marston Ltd. |
| 1990 |
Operations start at Agui Plant
Establishment of NDM Manufacturing Ltd, UK as a joint venture with Magneti Marelli SpA, Italy
Opening of DENSO Sales Italia s.r.l. |
| 1991 |
Opening of DENSO Research Laboratories
Establishment of Nippondenso International (Europe) BV in The Netherlands
Start of a joint venture with AT&T Co, USA in regard to integrated circuit (IC) cards |
| 1993 |
Operations start at Kitakyushu Plant |
| 1994 |
An engineering and testing facility for air conditioning systems is opened in Munich, Germany |
| 1995 |
Received global environment award
Establishment of DENSO International Singapore Pte Ltd
Opening of DENSO Sales France S.A.R.L. |
| 1996 |
Corporate name changed to DENSO Corporation
Acquisition of ISO 14001: international standard of environmental management system, by Ikeda Plant |
| 1997 |
World’s first spark plug with iridium electrode (0.4mm)
Acquisition of QS 9000/ISO 9001 certification by all automobile-related divisions of DENSO
Adoption of “DENSO VISION 2005″ as long-term management goal
Operations start at DENSO Manufacturing Hungary Ltd.
DENSO incorporated João de Deus & Filhos S.A. in Portugal, which was founded in 1914 |
| 1998 |
All domestic plants have obtained ISO 14001 certification
Operations start at Zenmyo Plant
Opening of TD Deutsche Klimakompressor GmbH
Opening of DENSO Sales Sweden in Gothenburg |
| 1999 |
Acquisition of Rotating Machines Division of Magneti Marelli SpA, Italy |
| 2000 |
World’s first segment conductor (SC) alternator, adopting dual windings and rectifiers and a rectangular conductor for its stator coil
Opening of DENSO Sales Belgium N.V. |
| 2001 |
Acquisition of Climate Control Equipment Division of Magneti Marelli SpA, Italy
Estabishment of DENSO Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Ltd in Saudi Arabia
Opening of Abashiri Proving Ground
DENSO incorporated DENSO Thermal Systems Polska Sp.zo.o. in Poland |
| 2002 |
Achieved goal of zero emissions at all 14 operations in Japan
Operations start at DENSO AIR SYSTEMS CZECH s.r.o.
Opening of DENSO Otomotiv Parcalari Sanayi A.S. in Turkey |
| 2003 |
Establishment of DENSO (China) Investment Co. Ltd in China |
| 2004 |
DENSO Manufacturing Hungary receives the European Commission’s Business Award for the Environment, making it the first automotive company to be recognised for its environmental management activities in Europe
Operations start at DENSO SISTEMAS TERMICOS ESPANA S.A.
DENSO incorporated ASMO Czech s.r.o. |
| 2005 |
Opening of an engineering and testing facility for diesel engine components in Aachen, Germany. This milestone marks the company’s first diesel development centre outside Japan. World’s first 1,800-bar diesel common-rail system with Piezo injectors
Operations start at TBMECA Poland Sp.zo.o |
2006
|
Word’s first motor-driven electric variable valve timing control system |
| 2009 |
DENSO Sales Russia established in Moscow. This office specifically handles the sales and marketing of Aftermarket products
World’s first permanently engaged starter
World’s first passenger car air conditioning system using ejector technology
Opening of DENSO Sales RUS L.L.C. |
| 2010 |
DENSO Thermal Systems Morocco established in Tangiers. This second production base on the African continent will produce car air conditioning systems |
| 2011 |
Aachen Engineering Centre in Germany receives government award recognizing its research and development expansion |
| 2012 |
Dissolution of capital relations between DENSO Corporation and the Robert Bosch Group. This has no effect or impact on the good and sound collaborative tie-ups in technologies or joint ventures between both companies, which continues since a “License agreement” was concluded in 1953 |
| 2013 |
DENSO Poland Sp.zo.o was established in Myslowice, Polan |
| 2014 |
QR Code development team becomes first Japanese winner of European Inventor Award |
