In the last several months, DENSO has established new companies or started expanding existing
facilities around the world. Here are the latest plans.

Diamond in the gulf
Tianjin, China—Tianjin, the third largest city in China, is often called the “Diamond of the Bohai Gulf,” because it is one of the biggest industrial and port cities in the country. While it may be best known for its streetscapes of colonial era buildings, it is a center of multinational businesses and is known for the high quality of its industrial products.

That’s why DENSO is opening its 10th manufacturing facility in Tianjin—Tianjin Poong Sung Electronics—to produce instrument clusters. The new company starts production at the end of this year, and is expected to employ 70 people. DENSO projects sales will reach nearly US$18 million by 2010.

“DENSO established this new company in response to the production needs of Korean automotive manufacturers in
China,” explained Mitsuharu Kato, managing officer for DENSO Corporation’s Information & Safety Systems Business Group. DENSO currently has 21 companies located in China.

Daian plant to expand
Inabe, Japan—This summer, DENSO will build a new manufacturing facility on the premises of the Daian Plant, located in Inabe, Japan.“We are building the new facility to enhance our production capability in response to the growing need for safety system sensors and ceramic components for exhaust gas purification,” said Hiromi Tokuda, managing officer in charge of DENSO’s Powertrain Control Systems Business Group.

The new facility will manufacture ceramic components—ceramic substrates and diesel particulate filters—for exhaust emission purification, in addition to its current products such as ignition devices, safety-related equipment, ignition plugs, oxygen sensors and various actuators and sensors. The plant’s current production lines for airbag sensing systems will also move to the new facility to accommodate an increase in production volume.

Construction begins this summer and should be finished by June 2007. Production is anticipated to start in August 2007.

DNTR moves south
Istanbul, Turkey—Because of growing sales in Turkey, DENSO is expanding its air conditioner production capacity by building a new facility in Gebze Country, Turkey, about 18 miles southwest of its current location in Istanbul. Construction of the new facility for DENSO Otomotiv Parclari Sanayi A.S. (DNTR) begins this summer and should be wrapped up by June 2007. Production will start in August 2007.

Once construction is finished, DNTR will transfer its operations to the new facility.

By 2010, DNTR will increase the production capability of air conditioning units from 140,000 to approximately 250,000, and the number of employees from nearly 120 now, to about 220.

DENSO opens new R&D center in Australia
Croydon, Victoria, Australia—DENSO is expanding operations in Australia by opening a state-of-the-art testing facility at Australian Automotive Air Pty. (AAA) in Croydon, Victoria. The research and development facility includes a climatic chamber, a noise vibration room and a vehicle maintenance shop.

The climatic chamber can operate from – 4 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind speed of up to 62 mph, using a four-wheel drive capable chassis dynamometer to duplicate real-world driving conditions.

In the noise vibration room, technicians can test automobile systems in a low-noise environment for air-flow noise, fan/pump noise and air conditioner noise. The vehicle maintenance workshop will handle pre-testing vehicle preparation and testing of prototype parts.

“This center signals DENSO’s commitment to further enhancing the technological capability of the Australian automotive industry,” said Russell Pettis, AAA’s managing director. “All major local car manufacturers will be able to use the new facility, further enhancing local knowledge, production and automotive design.”

Russell Pettis, managing director, Australian Automotive Air Pty (AAA), gives a tour of AAA’s new state-of-the art testing facility to John Conomos, chairman, Toyota Australia (center), and the Honourable Ian Mcfarlane, federal minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources in Australia (right). The facility includes a climatic chamber, a noise vibration room and a vehicle maintenance shop.

DENSO expands training centers
Samutprakarn, Thailand—DENSO has opened a new training academy in Thailand, DENSO Training Academy Thailand (DTAT) to support Thailand’s growing automotive industry. “Thailand has grown to be the core production base in Asia, supported by the Thai government’s policy to promote Thailand as the ‘Detroit of Asia’ by the year 2010,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, managing director of DENSO International Thailand. “DTAT will give us an efficient way to train and nurture our local workforce.”

DTAT will offer a broad range of training programs, including training on DENSO’s devotion to product quality and approach to making things (mono-zukuri), as well as management, technical skills, engineering, and safety. DTAT will offer 23 programs in instructor training and up to 156 programs in general areas by the end of 2006. By 2010, DENSO plans to build training centers at 35 group companies around the world. Vision 2 Spring/Summer 2006