Year

History of DENSO Corporation

1949

Establishment of Nippondenso Co., Ltd. having been separated from Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. with ¥15 million capital.

1950

DENSO JIHO (internal Japanese-language newsletter) publication commenced.

1953

Technical cooperation with Robert Bosch GmbH of Germany.

1954

Start of Assigned Service Station System.

1955

Establish Injection Pump Preparation Section.

1956

Adoption of Corporate Motto.
Establishment of Refrigerator Preparation Section.

1957

Establishment of AICHI DENSO CO., LTD. (consolidated in 1959) to start spark plug business.

1960

Adoption of Corporate Song.

1961

Awarded Deming Prize; the most prestigious award for quality control.

1964

Adoption of DENSO Policy based on the Trade Liberalization of Japan (in correspondence to liberalisation of trade).

1965

Operations start at Ikeda Plant and Hiroshima Plant.

1966

Adoption of DENSO Policy based on the Capital Liberalisation of Japan (in correspondence to liberalization of capital).
Establish Chicago Sales Office and branch offices in Los Angeles and Detroit in the United States.

1967

Operations start at Anjo Plant.

1968

Establishment of IC Research Centre.

1970

Operations start at Nishio Plant.
Adoption of DENSO Safety and Health and Environment Standard.
Establish overseas branch office in Stuttgart, Germany.

1971

Establishment of Nippondenso of Los Angeles, Inc. as the first overseas subsidiary.
Adoption of DENSO Globalisation Policy (in correspondence to liberalisation of automotive capital).

1972

Establishment of Nippondenso Thailand Co., Ltd., Nippondenso (Australia) Pty. Ltd., and Nippondenso Canada, Inc.

1973

Establishment of Nippondenso (Europe) B.V. in The Netherlands.

1974

Adoption of DENSO New Management Policy (in correspondence to new business environment after the oil crisis).
Operations start at Takatana Plant.

1977

Received the first gold medal during International Youth Skill Olympics.

1978

Awarded the first Okochi Memorial Production Prize (Production Engineering Section).
Started consignment production of small motors to what is currently known as Asmo Co., Ltd.

1979

Adoption of DENSO Policy for the 1980s (aiming to become a corporation with sales amount of one trillion yen after 10 years).

1980

Establish 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.
Establish Nippondenso Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. in Michigan.

1985

The first recognition of In-house Technical Skill Certification (In-house Trade Skill Tests) based on In-house Trade Skill Tests Recognition Regulations set by the Ministry of Labor.
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.

1987

Operations start at Toyohashi Plant.
Establishment of DENSOTechnicalCollege.
Operations start at Kota Plant.

1989

Establishment of Nippondenso Manufacturing (Barcelona),. S.A. in Spain.

1990

Operations start at Agui Plant.
Establish NDM Manufacturing Ltd. in the United Kingdom as a joint venture with Magneti Marelli S.p.A. of Italy.

1991

Opening of DENSO Research Laboratories.
Establishment of Nippondenso International (Europe) B.V. in The Netherlands.
Start of a joint venture with AT&T Co. of the United States in regard to integrated circuit (IC) cards.

1993

Operations start at Kitakyushu Plant.

1994

Adoption of DENSO's Principles for Change (reform of corporate constitution in the post-bubble period).
Yantai Shougang Nippondenso Co., Ltd. established in China.
Adopted DENSO Philosophy and new Corporate Song.
DENSO Micro Car was recognised as the world smallest model car in Guinness Book of Records.

1995

Received the global environment award.
Establishment of DENSO International Singapore Pte. Ltd.

1996

Corporate name changed to DENSO Corporation.
Acquisition of ISO 14001, the international standard of environmental management system, by Ikeda Plant.

1997

Acquisition of QS 9000/ISO 9001 certification by all automobile-related divisions of DENSO.
Adoption of "DENSO VISION 2005" as a long-term management goal.

1998

All domestic plants have obtained ISO 14001 certification.
Operations start at Zenmyo Plant.

1999

Acquisition of Rotating Machines Division of Magneti Marelli S.p.A.

2000

Establish Software Centre.
Adopt "DENSO ECOVISION 2005" as an environmental management goal.

2001

Acquisition of Climate Control Equipment Division of Magneti Marelli S.p.A
Estabishment of DENSO Abdul Latif Jameel Co., Ltd. in Saudi Arabia.
Opening of Abashiri Proving Ground.

2002

Achieved the goal of zero emissions at all 14 operations in Japan.

2003

Establishment of DENSO (China) Investment Co., Limited in China.