DENSO has announced the opening of its Central Technical Training Center at its facility in Maryville, Tennessee. DENSO designed the state-of-the-art technical training center to educate its employees about the latest technologies and best practices in advanced manufacturing, a move that helps ensure the company and its workforce will remain leaders in manufacturing as it becomes more automated, connected and data-rich.
The development is part of DENSO’s 2017 commitment to invest $1 billion in the Maryville location. That investment has helped DENSO in Maryville expand its production of vehicle safety and electrification systems, create 1,000 jobs, establish new employee training opportunities, and reinforce the site’s ability to be a primary manufacturing center for DENSO in North America. All of this supports DENSO’s Long-Term Policy 2030, which aims to create new value for advanced mobility.
“DENSO’s manufacturing philosophy is to produce products in the region, for the region,” said Kenichiro Ito, senior executive officer of DENSO Corp. and CEO of DENSO’s North American headquarters. “As a leading mobility supplier, we manufacture products and systems for all major automakers in North America. It’s crucial that we remain at manufacturing’s leading edge as we help our customers realize new mobility solutions. The technical training center helps us accomplish that.”
DENSO in Maryville plans to educate more than 1,500 employees annually at the training facility, which features labs focused on electrical, robotic and mechanical applications in manufacturing. DENSO employees will have access to more than 50 hands-on courses in production-related areas, including electrical, mechanical and mechatronic technologies, and automation fundamentals. In the future, course programming will expand into rapidly evolving fields, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data analytics. DENSO also collaborates with local colleges and high schools to better prepare students interested in manufacturing for successful and rewarding careers in the industry.
“We’ve manufactured technology in east Tennessee that makes cars safer and cleaner for more than 30 years, and that sustained production is impossible without the support and skill of our local community,” said Jack Helmboldt, president emeritus at DENSO in Maryville. “Opening the Central Technical Training Center demonstrates not only our commitment to our employees, but also to maintaining DENSO and east Tennessee’s position as a manufacturing leader in North America.”
Speakers at the training facility’s grand opening include Ito and Bob Booker, a senior manager of Legal Services and Corporate Compliance at DENSO in Maryville, as well as Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell; and Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Bob Rolfe.
The Central Technical Training Center’s opening comes after DENSO invested $1.95 million last year in its thermal manufacturing facility in Battle Creek, Michigan, to open the North Technical Training Center. Both bolster DENSO’s manufacturing expertise across North America, according to the company.
DENSO’s Maryville location has nearly 5,000 employees and specializes in production of vehicle safety systems and electrification components. DENSO has other Tennessee locations in Athens, Mount Juliet and Jackson.
