Gentex (automotive supplier)

Gentex Corporation is an American electronics and technology company that develops, designs, and manufactures automatic-dimming rear-view mirrors, camera-based driver assistance systems, and other equipment for the automotive industry.[2] They produce dimmable aircraft windows for the commercial, business and general aviation markets. In addition, the company produces photoelectric smoke detectors and signaling devices for the North American fire protection market as well as the HomeLink Wireless Control System.

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation is based in Zeeland, Michigan. They created the first dual-sensor photoelectric smoke detector, and pioneered electrochromic automatic-dimming mirrors for the automotive industry and smart windows for the aviation industry. Gentex has more than 1,700 patents on various technologies and products.

In analyses of the industry in 2001, Gentex had the highest market-to-book value of any automotive supplier.[3] As of 2020, about 98 percent of the company's sales are derived from the automotive market.[4] As of 2018, less than 1 percent of the company's business comes from aerospace applications of dimmable windows.

History

Gentex was founded in 1974 by Fred Bauer as a manufacturer of fire protection products. Bauer became CEO of the company in May 1986, and also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. He retired in 2018, and was succeeded by Steve Downing as CEO and by James Wallace as Chairman of the Board.[5][6] In April 2025, Gentex acquired Voxx International, growing their portfolio of automotive electronics while expanding into the automotive and consumer audio spaces. [7]

Fire protection

Gentex created the first dual-sensor photoelectric smoke detector,[4][8][5] considered to be less prone to false alarms, while still quickly detecting smoldering fires. Gentex smoke detectors are used in hospitals, hotels, offices and other buildings worldwide.[9] In the early 1990s, Gentex introduced a smoke detector equipped with a strobe light which is designed to alert deaf and hard of hearing individuals.[10] Gentex manufactures a wide range of photoelectric detectors for fire alarm systems, standalone, and interconnect systems. In addition, Gentex also offers a wide variety of fire alarm notification appliances for commercial applications such as audible horns, strobe lights, combination horn strobes, speakers, speaker strobes, etcetera.

Automotive

Aerospace

Gentex and PPG Aerospace have delivered electrochromic smart windows for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.[18] These windows use viologens and a redox agent to adjust the amount of light that is allowed through the window, a similar technology to Gentex' auto-dimming rearview mirrors.[19] The aircraft windows are electronically controlled: an electrical signal affects the action of a conductive medium between layers of glass. The windows can be adjusted by the passenger or crew to control the amount of light that enters, with five levels from completely clear to completely darkened. The windows are 60 percent larger than standard aircraft windows.

The aircraft window was included in the exhibition Design Life Now: National Design Triennial, which appeared at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston in 2007.[20]

Gentex is also developing electronically dimmable windows for aircraft that are capable of automatically responding to changes in sunlight, adapting for example when an aircraft turns. The windows can darken to complete black-out capability in under 30 seconds.

Gentex is AS9100 certified, an industry standard required by the majority of major aircraft manufacturers, and is capable of meeting production standards as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for aircraft.[21]

External links

• official Gentex website
• SEC Info, 2006