25 years of Dürr in Japan

23.10.2026

The power of small steps

Twenty-five years ago, Dürr founded its Japanese subsidiary. Today, the company serves industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to aerospace. Between then and now lie technical milestones, relationships built over time, and the understanding that in Japan, trust is just as important as innovative technology.

Expanding into new markets is often about technical solutions, innovation, and finding ways to stand out from the competition. In Japan, however, there is another factor that plays a crucial role: trust. Without it, companies often do not even get the opportunity to compete. "In Japan, there are no formal tenders as we know them from many other markets. Invitations to bid are typically granted through trusted relationships," explains Ladislaus Weissenbacher, who has accompanied Dürr Japan's development since its founding.

For a newly established company, this meant one thing above all: patience. Rather than immediately selling complete paint shops, Dürr initially focused on supplying individual components that could be mounted on third-party robots. The strategy was simple: prove the technology, build local expertise, and earn trust step by step.

At the founding of Dürr Japan in 2001: Ladislaus Weissenbacher (left) with the company’s first Managing Director and his secretary.

From component supplier to system partner

One of the first major milestones for the young subsidiary was an order from a Japanese automotive manufacturer for 56 first-generation EcoBell atomizers. The project's significance went far beyond its size. It demonstrated that the technology could meet the requirements of the Japanese market.

As customer confidence grew, so did the scale of the projects. After years of intensive sales efforts, Dürr Japan secured a major order for Mazda’s Hofu 2 plant. For the first time, the Japanese subsidiary supplied not only individual components but a comprehensive package that included painting and handling robots, a cleaning system, and end-of-line testing equipment. The project marked an important step in Dürr Japan's development: from a supplier of individual components to a provider of comprehensive production solutions. Today, Dürr Japan supports customers not only in the automotive sector, but across a wide range of industries, including rail transportation, aerospace, motorcycle manufacturing, and consumer goods production.

Here’s to the start in Japan: Heinz Dürr (third from left), Ladislaus Weissenbacher (far left), and others who were part of Dürr Japan’s early journey raise a toast.

Celebrating 25 years of Dürr Japan: the team at the anniversary dinner.

Close to the customer

As business expanded, Dürr steadily strengthened its presence in Japan. The company moved from its original location in Shin-Yokohama to an office near Tokyo Station before settling in Funabashi. There, Dürr Japan opened its own Test Center in 2014. A sales office in Nagoya and a service site in Hiroshima followed.

Today, Dürr Japan employs 12 full-time staff members as well as several part-time employees. They support customers over many years, provide technical expertise, and cultivate long-term relationships. In this way, they repeatedly succeed in convincing Japanese customers of new innovations, with the EcoPaintJet Pro being the latest example. It will be deployed in the new paint line of a Japanese automotive manufacturer, enabling the company to reduce material consumption and energy usage. Even a quarter of a century after its founding, the same remains true: innovative technologies create opportunities, but trust determines which of them become reality.

FURTHER RELATED
ARTICLES

Back to overview

Find out more

Join our team

Senior AI Software Engineer / Technical Lead (m/f/d)

21.10.2026

IN THE
FRAME

3 questions with

Tiffany Blum

Product Owner and Software Developer
What happens behind the scenes at DXQequipment.maintenance?

There are lots of great coworkers who coordinate with each other every day. Whether it's questions about new features, issues that have been identified, or even new ideas, everyone contributes and supports one another.
How is a new product feature developed?

We work with customers and stakeholders to define the requirements. Based on this, we create mockups and user stories. The resulting solution is then integrated into the product in the most generic way possible.
What makes your work as a Product Owner exciting?

It's an extremely versatile job that involves interacting with nearly every department: Sales, Marketing, Documentation, Project Management, Product Management, Engineering, Customers, Training,...