Pros
This is a great way to learn how to work with the Japanese, particularly Toyota Tsusho. Additionally, they allow you to go into negative PTO. You get paid to take time off you haven't accrued yet. You do have to pay it back, but I recall some people racking up quite a balance. You will do and learn more here than at most OEMs, which tend to skim over details or handle so many parts that they just want a one-hour summary of what they're dealing with, along with a few hardball questions thrown in as their contribution. (At least, this is what it seems like; I haven't worked at an OEM.) I value the thoroughness and what I learned from the Toyota Production System and Japanese engineering.
Cons
Throughout my time with Denso, I had seven different managers and survived a merger where my benefits, including overtime and PTO, were taken away. This merger wasn’t a true merger, as Denso already held over a 90% stake in my company. I was also hired directly through Denso. Additionally, I was laterally moved three times to different divisions, all of which had similar issues. Promotions take at least 2 to 3 years, even for a basic promotion. You’re much better off leaving if you want to advance. They also never gave me a full bonus. Most of the orders seem to come from Japan, along with most of the real engineering work. You're mainly there to mask the irrational decisions made by the Japanese hierarchy. Honestly, Denso Japan’s higher-ups have almost deliberately lost business on profitable American OEM projects while giving the same parts to Toyota, resulting in a significant net loss for Denso. The most engineering I did there was VA/VE, which I somewhat enjoyed. However, they constantly tried to “engineer” profits. Often, the engineering work cost more than the profits made, or even the meetings that were held. Falsifying test results to pass parts for approval was also common. While most parts passed most tests, quite a few did not meet the standards when I was there, and the tests were rerun or modified to pass the equipment. That said, I will admit Denso’s equipment seemed to perform better than that of most other tier 2 suppliers. It seems like Chinese car manufacturers are coming in full force, and I see Denso losing its foothold to true Chinese suppliers. Since I left, they have been closing down plants and have mentioned plans to move into more profitable ventures, which, to my understanding, have not yielded much success either. I remember one of the higher-ups at my old company, prior to the merger, saying, “We would not be in business if it weren’t for Denso keeping us afloat. Denso North America would not exist if it weren’t for Denso Japan.” My assumption is that Denso Japan would not exist without Toyota. I’m not sure where the buck stops, but my suspicion is that Denso only exists to subsidize parts for Toyota. Managers didn’t seem to care. None of them provided me with a reference when asked. Honestly, I’m really hurt by what was done to my career during the pandemic. I know other loyal former coworkers, like myself, who were separated unceremoniously from the organization. Once I completed the work assigned to me, they sent me out the door. I understand that finding a good job can be hard, but this company should be avoided if possible.