Although progress has continued to be at the centre of its ethos, the changing world, particularly the environmental challenges it faces, have combined with the company’s long-held concern for the well-being of society, to ensure that sustainability and carbon neutrality are equally important in the years to come.
By taking just a brief look at its history, it’s clear that DENSO set the standard from its very beginning in 1949, a trait that still exists today. It also had visionary leaders, as the technical agreement it made with Robert Bosch in 1953, to incorporate knowledge from outside the company, to achieve world-class engineering standards, plainly demonstrated.
This philosophy was vindicated shortly afterwards, as in 1961, DENSO was awarded the Deming Prize for its quality control, which was followed by considerable global expansion and the opening of what was to become its European headquarters, in the Netherlands in 1973.
In the following years, DENSO introduced a series of world firsts, many, such as in 1974, 1975, 1997, 2002, 2010 and 2011 involving spark plugs technology, but also in diesel development with ceramic glow plugs, high pressure common rail injection systems and the invention of the exhaust gas recirculation valve, as well as in the field of rotating electrics, air conditioning systems and electronic sensors. Its expertise even extends as far as the introduction in 2010, of the first hybrid and flat wiper blades for the aftermarket.
This innovative characteristic has, however, transcended beyond the automotive industry, as one of DENSO’s most notable inventions has been the QR Code, a revolutionary technology it developed in 1994, which is now commonplace in every industry in whatever field, and used by people in every corner of the world.
As it embarks on the next stage of its journey, to evolve from ‘a Tier 1 supplier that supports the automotive industry’, to ‘a Tier 1 supplier that supports a mobility-centred society’ and to create value for more diverse customers, DENSO is at an exciting period in its history.
When it comes to DENSO Aftermarket, although a much younger organisation, it remains fully aligned with DENSO’s sustainability, mobility and humanitarian goals. It is also committed to providing the independent service and repair sector with access to premium quality replacement parts that give them and their customers complete confidence, and contribute to the well-being of motorists across Europe.