Delving into DENSO’s rich history
DENSO has a rich history that now spans 75 years, so how has the company evolved over that time?
Fatiha Laauich (FL): “In 1949, NIPPON ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTS CO. LTD split from Toyota Motor Co. Ltd and established itself as a separate entity, initially called NIPPONDENSO, before becoming DENSO in 1996. Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, DENSO established the foundations of today’s corporation with the expansion of its service plants, technical centres and production plants. It also established its ‘Quality First’ culture that culminated with the company being awarded the Deming Prize in 1961.
“The 1970’s and 1980’s were exciting decades with its international expansion and the opening of the European headquarters in the Netherlands, in 1973.
“75 years and 39,000 patents later, DENSO now encompasses 193 companies in 35 countries, but its goals remain revolutionary, and its products are still relied upon by millions of people across the globe.”
What are some of the key technological advances DENSO has delivered over the decades and what is their impact today?
FL: “There are so many, but here are some examples:
“1974 - Invented the first spark plug with a platinum electrode of 1.1 mm.
“1975 - World’s first spark plug with U-groove electrode.
“1991 - Invented the first glow plug with a ceramic heating element.
“1994 - Creation of the QR Code.
“1996 – Invented the first plug in type mass air flow sensor.
“2010 – Introduced the first hybrid and flat wiper blades to the aftermarket and invented the Twin Tip spark plug.
“2012 - World’s first heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system capable of heating or cooling the driver’s area only, separately controlling the climate in three different cabin zones.
“2013 - Invented the common rail diesel injection system with an injection pressure of 2,500 bar, helping increase fuel efficiency by up to 3%, also reducing particulate matter by up to 50% and nitrogen oxides by up to 8%.
“2016 - Invented the first NOx-A/F integrated Lambda sensor.”
Can you share any major challenges DENSO has faced and how the company has overcome them?
FL: “In 1933, an automobile department was established within Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. (currently Toyota Industries Corporation) and two years later, executive director, Kiichiro Toyoda, instructed Ryuichi Suzuki (who would later become a member of the Board at DENSO) to take on the challenge of producing electrical equipment in house. However, developing such equipment internally became an extremely difficult task, and there was a growing opinion that promoting the in house production of such equipment was not a task the company should undertake. However, Mr. Suzuki persuaded Mr. Toyoda to allow him to continue his efforts and sometime after doing so, the enthusiasm and the persistence of Mr. Suzuki, and the young engineers on his team, led to the official adoption of electrical equipment in Toyota vehicles and paved to way to the birth of NIPPONDENSO, in 1949.
“Today, DENSO is also facing challenges, such as climate change and the conservation of the environment. To rise to these challenges, DENSO has set a list of commitments that include its vision of ZERO (zero carbon emissions and zero traffic fatalities) and the company is focusing its resources on activities related to ‘Green’ and ‘Peace of Mind’, which means to be of service to the planet and its people.”
How does DENSO ensure that its aftermarket products meet the same high standards as those supplied as OE?
FL: “DENSO is committed to follow its ‘Quality First’ principle in manufacturing its products, and based on information collected by sales and technology departments of customers, it is continuously making efforts to ensure that its customers are satisfied with the level of quality it delivers.
“In addition, to provide the best products for customers around the world, the DENSO Group has established technical centres in Japan, the United States, Germany, Thailand, China, India and Brazil that has allowed the Group has put into place a global structure that allows for product development, quality testing and quality evaluation to be carried out in accordance with the characteristics of each region.
“The quality of the aftermarket parts is guaranteed because every component that leaves a DENSO factory has been designed with precision, manufactured to the strictest OE standards or above, and subjected to rigorous safety and performance tests. In the end, it all comes down to quality — that’s what the DENSO brand stands for.”
As the automotive industry continues to evolve with trends, like electrification, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and even autonomous vehicles, how is DENSO adapting to stay ahead?
FL: “DENSO plans to invest 63 billion euros in research and development over the next decade, aligning with its goal of achieving zero emissions and zero traffic fatalities in the mobility and society sector. The key areas of investment include:
Electrification technologies: Developing advanced electric vehicle (EV) systems.
Autonomous driving: Enhancing safety and efficiency of autonomous vehicle technologies.
Connectivity: Innovating in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and data driven technologies: Leveraging AI for smarter automotive solutions.
Green technologies: Focus on reducing the company’s environmental impact and promoting sustainability.
“When it comes to important OE developments, these include:
Development of high efficiency electric powertrains and components.
Innovations in battery technology to improve energy density and charging speeds.
Introduction of advanced thermal management systems for EVs.
Expansion of electric motor production capabilities to support growing EV demand.
Integration of renewable energy sources in vehicle systems to enhance overall efficiency.
“In 2023, 16 DENSO European manufacturing companies attained carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, aligning with DENSO Group’s ‘Green’ and ‘Peace of Mind’ strategies. As part of its future strategic vision, DENSO aims to achieve carbon neutrality in its manufacturing activities, without relying on carbon credits, by 2035.”
How does DENSO support its professional motor factors and distributors in terms of training and product knowledge to ensure they can effectively serve their customers?
FL: “DENSO has a team of sales and technical representatives that work with its wholesale customers to help and advise technicians on best practice matters and installation issues. It also has a comprehensive online technical resource where users can access parts data and catalogue information, but also a huge amount of technical content including videos and presentations.
“This portal is where technicians can register for the League of True Mechanics (LOTM) competition, which is a popular pan European competition that combines ongoing online training with some healthy competition to find regional, and then an overall European, winner.
“To ensure that both the competition and the material within it remain relevant, new training modules are added every year and this year we have a new hybrid and EV element that explains the basics and how to work safely with those vehicles. With this course, DENSO aims to help support independent workshops as they enter the new era of electrification, which otherwise, can present quite a challenge to keep up with the skills and knowhow necessary to complete work safely and successfully.”
In celebrating DENSO’s 75th anniversary, what future goals or aspirations does the company have?
FL: “DENSO aims to shift from being ‘a Tier 1 supplier that supports the automotive industry’ to ‘a Tier 1 supplier that supports a mobility centred society’. So, keeping this in mind, DENSO is carrying out three initiatives:
1) Evolution of mobility
DENSO is focused on improving its electrification business by enhancing product competitiveness, expanding product lineups, and refining its manufacturing processes to achieve sustainable growth and drive innovation in automotive technologies. The company is also actively engaged in the development of autonomous driving and ADAS, with a strong focus on enhancing product competitiveness and technology development.
2) Strengthening fundamental technologies
DENSO aims to accelerate technology development through global strategic partnerships and collaborations to enhance technological capabilities, with a focus on strengthening expertise in semiconductors and software to support mobility advances and create new value.
3) Creating new value
DENSO is concentrating on expanding its new value business with a strong emphasis on commercialisation in the automotive industry and the food and agriculture sector. The company aims to develop new value businesses by leveraging automotive technologies and exploring commercialisation in various fields. This includes entering the hydrogen business and applying manufacturing principles to the food and agriculture sector.”
Further details of the DENSO Aftermarket programme are available online at: www.denso-am.eu