Group Companies
Management and
Company Information
History of the DENSO Group
Since its establishment, the DENSO Group has continued to grow, supported by the growth of the domestic economy and the development of the automotive industry, while also creating and expanding businesses aimed at solving social issues. As of January 2024, the Group comprises 190 companies, conducting research, production, and sales activities worldwide.
Domestic Region
In Japan, there are 57 group companies as of January 2024. These include manufacturing companies, development and design companies, sales companies, and functional support companies, each operating with its own mission. Here, we introduce the history and characteristics of the group companies in Japan.
Business Partners That Supported the Period of High Economic Growth
After the post-war infancy period, our company expanded its business domain for Toyota and other customers, during the period of high economic growth (1955-1973), buoyed by the rise of motorization. This expansion was supported by numerous group companies in Japan. Their backgrounds vary: some companies originally had their own brand products as tier 1 suppliers (such as DENSO SANKYO, Kyosan Electric Manufacturing, Hamanako DENSO, JECO, and DENSO Wiper Systems), while others have supported global supply after business transfers from DENSO (including DENSO Electronics, DENSO DAISHIN, DENSO Aircool, and DENSO Katsuyama). One notable characteristic is that by investing in existing companies, we have rapidly achieved business expansion. Many of these group companies share business responsibility (profitability responsibility) and are positioned as business division companies, having jointly laid the foundation of today’s company.
Partners Supporting Stable Growth
Since 1980, as global production expanded and labor shortages in the Mikawa region became apparent, both automakers and our group dispersed production to regions outside Mikawa. This includes DENSO Miyazaki, DENSO Kyushu, DENSO Hokkaido, and DENSO Fukushima. These companies have improved their presence as regional representatives, secured quality human resources, and established factories close to customers to reduce logistics loss and ensure stable supply. These companies, launched from the greenfield, are primarily responsible for production and are positioned as production division companies. In addition, there are many companies that have recently joined the DENSO Group through M&A, such as DENSO Iwate, DENSO FA Yamagata, DENSO Yamagata, and DENSO TEN, where diverse talents are actively contributing.
Expansion of Sales and Services
Guided by DENSO Creed, "Provide quality products and services," we have expanded our sales channels, proposed new values, and built a customer-first service network. Initially, our sales department consisted of a sales section and a service section, starting with offices in Tokyo and Osaka. By 1953, we had established offices in Fukuoka and Sendai, and in 1954, in Hiroshima, Sapporo, and Takamatsu, followed by Toyama in 1955, creating a nine-office network covering the national market, including the head office. In 1954, we also began establishing designated service stations as part of the DENSO After-Sales Service network, starting with 24 service stores. Between 2000 and 2002, we consolidated our 21 branches and offices and 14 service stations in which we had invested into eight sales companies by region. In 2012, DENSO Ace and the eight sales companies were integrated to establish DENSO Sales. In 2019, DENSO Sales, DENSO TEN Sales, and DENSO TEN Service were merged and renamed DENSO Solution, unifying our after-sales service system.
Acquisition of Development and Design Talent and Collaboration
In the fields of basic research and advanced development, we established SOKEN, DENSO IT Laboratory, and MIRAISE Technologies for joint development with partners and securing advanced talent. Additionally, companies responsible for product and software development and design, such as DENSO Techno, DENSO Create, J-QuAD DYNAMICS, DENSO Next, and Three D, support our development operations. All these companies collaborate with DENSO’s research and development centers and business groups, where diverse talents play active roles.
Establishment of Functional Support Companies
Since 1998, to streamline our functional departments and improve competitiveness through shared services including group companies, we have promoted the spin-off of specialized functions. These companies include those supporting DENSO headquarters (such as DENSO Unity Service, DENSO MTEC, and DENSO Facilities) and those sharing operations with group companies, including DENSO headquarters (such as DENSO Logitem and DENSO Shared Service), each fulfilling their respective missions. In 2016, following DENSO Taiyo, we established DENSO Blossom, the second company in the DENSO Group aimed at promoting employment for people with disabilities, which handles office support operations.
Group Management
As described above, the group companies in Japan have various backgrounds and roles but engage in business activities in collaboration with the parent business groups and functional centers in DENSO. Looking back at group management in Japan, in the 1980s, we coordinated primarily with six companies (former ASMO, Kyosan Electric Manufacturing, DENSO Electronics, Hamanako DENSO, DENSO Daishin, and DENSO Aircool) through the Affiliated Companies Department and the Procurement Department in DENSO headquaters. The 1990s emphasized the independence of domestic group companies in line with DENSO Principle for Structural Change Response. Since 2000, we have introduced a business group system and a functional center system, starting consolidated management by business axis, shaping our current form. In 2019, an executive overseeing Japanese group companies was appointed, and the Japan Regional Headquarters was established to support them. This department addresses cross-business issues, supports group company management, ensures governance, and enhances the unity of the DENSO Group through information sharing in meetings of presidents of Japanese group companies.
Overseas Regions
For details on overseas regions, refer to "Stories of Our Worldwide Teams."