DENSO and Robert Bosch to Establish Joint Venture to Develop and Manufacture Diesel Particulate Filters

KARIYA, Japan and STUTTGART, Germany, Oct. 26, 2006 -- DENSO Corporation, Kariya/Japan and Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart/Germany, have agreed to set up a fifty-fifty joint venture in eastern Europe to develop and manufacture diesel particulate filters. The joint venture is planned for establishment in early 2007.

From 2009 onward, the joint venture partners plan to manufacture high performance and cost-effective diesel particulate filters made of cordierite and to market them separately. As a result of the Euro 5 emission standard for cars, DENSO and Bosch expect that particulate filters will become standard equipment for all new diesel-powered cars in Europe. Accordingly, it is also expected that the market for particulate filters will grow strongly.

A DPF is an essential diesel system component, and DENSO and Bosch plan to develop and market competitive cordierite DPFs by utilizing the two companies' diesel system technologies.

Compared to DPFs made of other materials, cordierite DPFs are light and provide lower pressure drop of exhaust gas resulting in high engine performance and efficient purification. DENSO has been producing and supplying its cordierite DPFs since 2003. The technologies and experiences will be used in the joint venture.

The agreement to form a joint venture is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities.

DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global supplier of advanced technology, systems and components. Its customers include all the world's major carmakers. Worldwide, the company employs approximately 106,000 people in 32 countries and regions, including Japan. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 totaled US$27.3 billion. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to http://www.globaldenso.com/ or visit our media website at http://www.densomediacenter.com/ .

The Bosch Group is a leading global manufacturer of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology. In fiscal 2005, some 251,000 associates generated sales of 41.5 billion euros. Set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as "Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering," the Bosch Group today comprises a manufacturing, sales, and after-sales service network of more than 280 subsidiaries and more than 12,000 Bosch Service Centers in over 140 countries. Additional information can be accessed at http://www.bosch.com/ .

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