KARIYA, Japan -- DENSO Manufacturing Kitakyushu Co., Ltd., DENSO's subsidiary in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka prefecture, Japan, will expand its 430,500-square-foot facility by approximately 237,000-square-feet. The new investment will total approximately $162 million by fiscal 2010.

"We decided to enhance our production capabilities in Kitakyushu, responding to growing vehicle production in the Northern Kyushu area," said Nobuaki Katoh, senior managing director in charge of DENSO's Thermal System Business Group.

With this expansion, DENSO Manufacturing Kitakyushu will begin producing fuel pump modules and windshield wiper links and increase production volumes of its current products including air conditioning units, injector components for diesel common rail fuel injection systems and engine cooling modules. The company also will start manufacturing resin housings for air conditioning units, components currently purchased externally.

Construction for the expansion is scheduled to begin in August and be completed in March 2008. Production start is scheduled for May 2008.

Sales for DENSO Kitakyushu are expected to increase from approximately $157 million in fiscal 2006 to approximately $389 million in fiscal 2010. The number of employees is expected to increase from the current approximately 610 to approximately 1,400 by fiscal 2010.

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