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The history of Niterra Co., Ltd. 90th anniversary

Niterra Co., Ltd. will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2026.

The history of Niterra Co., Ltd. is
a history of taking on new frontiers.

Since its founding in 1936, our company,
which began by manufacturing spark plugs,
has continually taken on challenges to solve
the issues society faces as the times change.

Carrying on the Morimura Group's DNA
of commitment to technology and quality,
we will continue to take on the challenge of creating new value
and, through innovative manufacturing that opens up the future,
strive to be a company
the world cannot do without.

The Origins of Niterra Co., Ltd.Background

NGK SPARK PLUG (※) was founded in 1936. Tracing its roots back to the Morimura Gumi (1876), founded by Ichizaemon Morimura, the founder of the Morimura Group, the company has a history of more than 140 years. ※Changed English company name to Niterra

Ichizaemon Morimura, the founder, was an honest and dedicated man of commerce. Determined to recover his fortune, which had been lost overseas, he rose to the challenge of undertaking overseas trade for the sake of his country. Eventually, his business ventures led him to the manufacture of ceramics and porcelain, and the Morimura Group was born.

Niterra is the ultimate product of this destiny.

DNA passed down through generations Inherited spirits

"Even if only one product in a thousand is defective,
the customer who buys it has a 100% defective rate"

With the move from tableware to industrial products, the demand for consistency and uniformity of products became more stringent. In order to realize products that consistently delivered the performance that customers demanded, Magoemon Ezoe required discipline and a strong sense of participation from his employees. This philosophy of "producing quality products" and "participation of all employees," in which all employees in all workplaces dedicate themselves to the principles of "monozukuri" in order to produce quality products, has been passed down through the generations at Niterra Co., Ltd.

Ezoe Son'emon
Magoemon Ezoe (first president of Niterra Co., Ltd.)

A Record of Niterra's ChallengesPath of challenges

  • Production of NGK Spark Plugs started

    Under the strong determination of the first president, Magoemon Ezoe, to "produce spark plugs using porcelain, a specialty product of our country," the company launched the first domestically produced spark plug, "NG Spark Plug," in 1930, and began manufacturing "NGK Spark Plugs" in 1937.

  • Production of NTK Technical Ceramics started

    Aiming to diversify its business after the war, Niterra Co., Ltd. began manufacturing "NTK Technical Ceramics," utilizing its applied ceramics technology. This has become the foundation for creating a variety of products, as Niterra Co., Ltd. has consistently sought to provide value to society by leveraging its core competencies.

  • Listed on both the Tokyo and Nagoya Stock Exchanges.

    To raise funds for expanding production facilities and to implement a more flexible capital policy, we have listed our shares on both the Tokyo and Nagoya Stock Exchanges.

  • Expanding overseas

    We established a manufacturing and sales subsidiary in Brazil as our first overseas base. Today, approximately 80% of our sales come from overseas markets, making this a crucial step towards growth in the global market.

  • Started the operation of Komaki Factory. (Aichi prefecture)

    We built a new factory in Komaki City, Aichi Prefecture, and began producing ceramics. Subsequently, we continued to build and expand plug and various ceramic factories, and it developed into our central production base.

  • Production of oxygen sensors for automobiles started

    In response to societal demands for stricter exhaust gas regulations, we began manufacturing oxygen sensors for automobiles. Leveraging the ceramic technology cultivated through our spark plug business, this became a major pillar of our operations.

  • Sales of electro-static chuck started

    In the late 1980s, in response to the trend towards higher integration and lower costs of semiconductor devices, and the subsequent shift to replacing semiconductor manufacturing equipment components with ceramic products offering superior heat and corrosion resistance, we began selling electrostatic chucks. Mass production began in the 2000s, and sales expanded.

  • Establishment of NTK CERATEC CO., LTD.

    We acquired all shares of NIHON CERATEC CO., LTD.(now NTK CERATEC CO., LTD.), making it a wholly owned subsidiary. This strengthened our ceramic components business, which is essential for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and was a key move to accelerate our growth in the semiconductor field.

  • The English company name has been changed to "Niterra".

    Our English company name has changed to "Niterra Co., Ltd." As a result, NGK SPARK PLUG Group has become the "Niterra Group".

BrandOur Brand

Effective April 1, 2023, our English company name has changed to "Niterra Co., Ltd."
As a result, NGK SPARK PLUG Group has become the "Niterra Group".

Niterra is a word that we have coined that combines "niteo," which means "shine" in Latin, and "terra," which means "earth." It expresses the Group's determination to not only contribute to a sustainable society, but also brightens the entire global environment.