Green Milestones
1950s
DENSO GO Electric Car
DENSO develops an all-electric car in the 1950s. Able to drive 122 miles on a charge, the car was an affirmation of DENSO’s spirit and technical expertise.
1987
Remanufacturing in Murrieta, CA
DENSO’s Murrieta, California location, part of DENSO Products and Services Americas, is established. Murrieta is the only pure remanufacturing site in the DENSO network, refurbishing more than 400,000 starters, alternators and compressors every year, while minimizing waste and effectively using wastewater.
1993
Ozone Protector
One of 36 internationally recognized corporations, the Environmental Protection Agency honors DENSO with its 1993 Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award. The company earned the award by taking the lead in developing methods to convert air conditioning systems to the safer coolant HFC-134a, which better protects the ozone layer.
1994
QR Code
After a year and a half of design and testing, DENSO WAVE introduces the QR Code in 1994, expanding the way scanners read data. The code rapidly improves DENSO’s Kanban system of supply by increasing the number of recognized characters, including Japanese Kanji. Paper ticketing and advertising become a thing of the past.
1997
ECO VISION
DENSO introduces ECO VISION 2005 as a commitment from DENSO sites globally to establish eco-friendly operations. As environmental concerns continued to grow, our ECO VISION strategies in 2015 and 2025 have expanded in scope to include green partnerships, supply chain, volunteering, employee action, product development and more.
2004
1800-Bar Common Rail System
DENSO receives the Automotive News PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence) Award for its very high-pressure, solenoid fuel-injection system. The 1,800-Bar Common Rail System reduces pollutants from vehicle exhaust gas and increases engine power.
2007
Worm Farm
Thousands of California Redworms convert cafeteria waste into highly rich fertilizer for the surrounding area at DENSO Mexico’s worm farm in Apodaca, Nuevo Leon. The worms can eat their own weight in organic garbage daily, amounting to about 3 ½ tons of cafeteria waste each week. This innovative recycling method lessens the burden on landfills.
2009
Castor Oil Radiator
Production begins on the first automotive radiator tank developed with a 40 percent plant-derived resin material. DENSO in North America establishes a partnership with DuPont to invent the resin from castor oil, which reduces oil use, CO2 emissions by 30 percent, and lengthens the life cycle of the product.
2014
Start/Stop Technology
Start/stop technology reduces fuel consumption and exhaust emissions by turning off the engine when the vehicle is idling and during deceleration at low speeds. DENSO’s Tandem Solenoid (TS) Starter and our Advanced Engagement (AE) Starter are the first start/stop technologies to be used in automatic transmission vehicles in North America.
2014
COA HVAC
DENSO’s COA HVAC, named for its three main features – Common, Collaborative, and Compact Air Conditioner – is 20 percent smaller and more efficient than conventional units. Its fixed height and depth allow automakers to use it throughout models and segments, a world’s first. In 2015, DENSO received the Automotive News PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence) Award for the COA HVAC.
2021
Additive Manufacturing
DENSO invests in advanced manufacturing company Seurat Technologies to advance 3D printing and development of metal components. The innovative technology mitigates waste, reduces weight and displaces carbon during production of products.
2022
E-Motor for All-Electric Jet
DENSO and Honeywell, an aerospace leader, co-develop an electric motor for the Lilium Jet, marking DENSO’s entry into the aerospace market. The two companies are working with Lilium, developer of the first all-electric vertical take-off and landing jet. Air mobility offers potential solutions to prominent transportation issues, such as traffic congestion in urban centers, CO2 emissions and transportation access in less populated areas.