Inventing for success

DENSO GmbH stands for high-quality sealing solutions for corrosion prevention and road construction. The product range of the group of companies, which generates a revenue of over 50 million euros annually, comprises 2425 products that are sold in 124 countries around the world. In pipeline construction, these products ensure that pipelines can function reliably and without interruption for decades. Hazardous substances won’t escape, and damage and leaks are reduced. The group of companies offer the world’s largest portfolio of passive corrosion prevention products for pipelines.

Stability and safety from the start

“The group of companies has always adapted to the challenges of the market. The demands placed on our people and products have, of course, evolved over the decades, but the keys to our success have remained unchanged: our inventive and entrepreneurial spirit, and our drive to find the highest-quality solutions for our customers. To this day, we remain true to our founding principle: DENSO GmbH also means sealing, and for decades, we have continued to stand for stability and safety. We are committed to being a company that people can rely on – whether that’s as a customer, a business partner or an employee”, says Max Wedekind, Managing Director of DENSO GmbH and the third generation of the family to lead the company. Especially in the current challenging times, the demands for supply reliability and unrestricted mobility are great. Thanks to the product portfolio of the group, Max Wedekind sees the company well positioned.

An invention goes global

The history of the company can be traced back to a single idea from the 1920s – to use a petrolatum-dipped gauze tape to protect the supply lines to Berlin’s gas lanterns. Previously, these steel pipes were still coated with liquid bitumen to protect them against corrosion. But bitumen becomes brittle after a short time, resulting in widespread damage across the city’s pipeline network. Looking back, the creative solution of using the Petrolatum Tape was revolutionary for its time – the invention was the world’s first reliable solution to protect pipelines against corrosion and marked the very beginning of the success story of the mother company. In 1929, the company’s first customer, Berliner Städtische Gaswerke AG (GASAG), placed an order for 50 000 m of this Petrolatum-Tape. More national and, after only three years, international customers follow, including the Blackstone Gas Company in the USA. Today, the product is still marketed around the world as PLASTELEN^®-Tape.

One team – working together for customers

The company’s team of around 200 employees also value its steady performance and reliability: some employees have been with the group for 40 years, and others are already the third generation of their family to work for the company, which has its headquarters in Leverkusen, near the city of Cologne in Germany. The headquarter is home not only to the administration and production departments, but also to the company’s in-house R&D and quality assurance teams. Max Wedekind believes this is a clear competitive advantage and is proud that the group manufactures all of its products in Germany: “From my perspective, there are three things that set us apart: our innovative spirit, our ‘made in Germany’ quality, and our fantastic team”.

In the global sales team alone, the company employs people from nine countries who speak five different languages. “We promote diversity and encourage employees to take initiative and responsibility, while offering a safe and inspiring working environment – because this is the only way we can create something new. The group of companies would be nothing without its people. What we achieve is always the product of the combined efforts of all of us – and that makes us feel thankful for and proud of our team”, adds Thomas Kaiser, Managing Director of DENSO GmbH.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/22112022/inventing-for-success/