AD_MAGAZINE_351

27 AutoData | December 2018 N GK left the AutoData Award event with two trophies: Auto Parts and Components Supplier category and Quality and Partnership category. It was, this way, one of the great winners of the night. The first came from an investment of R$ 210 million in its factory in Mogi das Cruzes, SP, until 2020, with its own resources. The announcement happened in March and more than half of the value will be invested until the end of this year. R$ 87 million will be destined to the production of insulators, which will increase NGK production capacity by 30%. Also the special spark plugs, made of nobler and greater durability materials, now imported from Japan, will be produced in Brazil. The project includes construction of new buildings, acquisition of equipment and funds for training and HR. The factory’s constructed area will have another 3.8 thousand m² and the unit (the company’s first factory built outside Japan) will also export to countries in the Americas, Europe and South Africa. The initiative should generate two hundred jobs altogether, in addition to direct and indirect jobs. There are currently 1.3 thousand employees and the unit operates 24 hours a day in some sectors. Spark plugs and ignition cables are manufactured there - the company reminds that it is the leader of the Brazilian aftermarket. In the automotive area, the company also sells ignition coils for the aftermarket and oxygen and detonation sensors (of the NTK brand) for repair and original market as well. The second award came from Quality and Partnership, an annual ranking elaborated by AutoData indicating the suppliers that have received the highest number of awards from automakers. This year, NGK reached the second position on the list with 48 points, generated by several nominations as best supplier from General Motors and Honda in the 2015-2017 period. Cióio Riuiti Takata, automotive sales and logistics director, believes that “the AutoData Award comes to celebrate our work philosophy, which always aims at the quality of the product and service, so we can represent a reference as auto parts supplier. We worked for this and we were awarded. When you pursue something and if you are recognized for that, the satisfaction is immense”. “The AutoData Award comes to celebrate our work philosophy, which always aims at the quality of the product and service, so we can represent a reference as auto parts supplier.” Célio Riuiti Takata, automotive sales and logistics director of NGK On page 36, Marcos Mosso (on the left) and Célio Riuiti Takata