DRIVEN BASE

DENSO Takes a Stake in Tohoku Pioneer EG

–Contributing to the development of the manufacturing industry through FA systems–

Sep. 7, 2018

KARIYA (Japan) ― DENSO Corporation today announced that it has agreed with Pioneer Corporation to take a stake in Tohoku Pioneer EG Corporation (Tohoku Pioneer EG), which is involved in the factory automation (FA) business and is owned by Tohoku Pioneer Corporation, a consolidated subsidiary of Pioneer Corporation.

Recently, the global environment for the manufacturing industry is at a turning point due to the shrinking workforce and aging population. Various initiatives are being taken to promote industrial change, such as Connected Industries in Japan and INDUSTRIE 4.0 in Germany.

Against this backdrop, DENSO set the goal of developing optimal solutions for FA systems in the Long-term Plan 2025 formulated in 2017. Specifically, DENSO will offer FA system solutions that combine automation processes using robots with IoT-based kaizen support by leveraging its expertise in process design and worksite management refined through many years of manufacturing automotive components, thereby offering new value to society.

As a system integrator of various automated production equipment, Tohoku Pioneer EG has supplied advanced custom-made FA production systems that meet the needs of customers, including DENSO, in various industries such as the automotive, electrical/electronic equipment, medical, food, semiconductor, and IT industries.

DENSO’s track record of introducing automation systems at 130 plants globally has an affinity with Tohoku Pioneer EG’s experience in offering FA production system. By taking a stake in Tohoku Pioneer EG, DENSO will be able to offer optimal streamlined FA system solutions and thereby contributing to the overall development of the manufacturing industry.

Profile of Tohoku Pioneer EG

1. Name

Tohoku Pioneer EG Corporation

2. Location

2-1-57 Ishidorii, Tendo, Yamagata, Japan

3. Representative

President and Representative Director Heikichi Muneta

4. Establishment

May 1988

5. Capital

350 million yen

6. Ownership

100% owned by Tohoku Pioneer Corporation

7. Sales

12.4 billion yen (year to March 2018)

8. Employees

297 (as of April 1, 2018)

9. Business description

Manufacturing various custom-made automated production equipment and high-precision flow measurement equipment

About DENSO Corporation

DENSO Corp., headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan has approximately 220 subsidiaries in 35 countries and regions (including Japan) and employs approximately 170,000 people worldwide. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, totaled US$48.1 billion. Last fiscal year, DENSO spent 8.8 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to www.denso.com, or visit our media website at www.denso.com/global/en/news/media-center/.