From Spark Plugs to Smart Solutions
Niterra Co., Ltd. has built a global reputation as the world's largest manufacturer of spark plugs. Founded in Nagoya in 1936, the company is built on a foundation of nearly 90 years of precision engineering and exceptional ceramics technology.
Today, the company is evolving into something far beyond a simple automotive parts manufacturer. Under its "2030 Long-Term Management Plan NITTOKU BX" and "Eco Vision 2030," it is undergoing a bold transformation from a traditional manufacturer into a global smart technology company. The company is actively expanding its business into strategic fields such as smart mobility, medical care, energy, and environmental solutions. These initiatives align with its "2040 Vision," which aims for new value creation beyond the boundaries of the manufacturing industry.
Reflecting this vision, the company changed its English trade name from "NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD." to "Niterra Co., Ltd." in 2023. The new name is a coined term combining the Latin words "niteo" (shine) and "terra" (earth), symbolizing the company's commitment to becoming an entity that illuminates the world through sustainable, technology-driven innovation.
As part of this transition, the company rolled out measures to strengthen DX (Digital Transformation) and IT strategy across the entire global group, beginning a focus on IT system integration and workflow automation. At the center of this effort is "identity." The company required a modernized, scalable, and secure identity platform for global growth, subsidiary integration, and streamlining employee access to applications and data.
Kazuyuki Kimura—Senior Executive Officer, Head of Global Strategy Headquarters, Director of DX Strategy Office, and President of IT System Company—states: "We are not just a parts manufacturer. In considering our business strategy, it was necessary to overhaul identity management for the entire group of companies."
A Strategic Shift Toward Identity
Previously, Niterra’s Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems were fragmented, with each region operating its own Active Directory and managing identity provisioning manually through different workflows. This resulted in serious operational issues. Personnel changes in Japan, including new hires in April, placed an enormous burden on the IT department. Provisioning delays not only reduced operational efficiency but also caused a decline in engagement for employees shortly after their transfer and created security gaps. Furthermore, integrating users during M&A required time-consuming manual work, and errors in account creation and permission assignments occurred frequently, making them extremely difficult to track and correct.
To address these challenges and support a more flexible new business model, the company adopted Okta Workforce Identity as its global identity foundation. "Previously, as the end of March approached, a massive amount of work would arise, and we had to manually provision accounts effective April 1st. However, by automating identity operations with Okta, such tasks are no longer necessary, and that burden has been eliminated," Kimura reflects.
The Starting Point: A "Single Source of Truth"
Aiming for integrated identity management that could be used across the entire global organization, the first step was the introduction of Okta Universal Directory. Through this, Niterra consolidated the identity information of all employees—exceeding 15,000 across group companies—into a single, standardized repository. The spreadsheets previously managed manually and the individually operated Active Directories became unnecessary. By linking with the HR system—the trusted source of information—identity data is now automatically synchronized.
Having accurate and real-time identity data made it possible to move to the next step: automation. By combining Okta Lifecycle Management and Okta Workflows, the company built a mechanism to fully automate account creation, deletion, and access right updates across the global organization, covering everything from an employee's joining and transfer to retirement. As a result, when information in the HR management system is updated, these tasks are executed automatically, eliminating the manual hand-offs that occurred previously and reducing the risk of delays and errors.
For example, using Okta Workflows allows for the automation of password resets, which not only reduces human error from manual handling but also leads to stronger security. Kimura estimates that the workload related to identity tasks can be reduced by approximately 80%, stating that the IT department will be freed from daily routine work and gain time to focus on more strategic challenges.
Kimura says: "Before introducing Okta, we had to manually coordinate changes occurring between the HR and IT departments. With Okta, when the HR department updates information, the identity system can reflect it immediately. Manual registration by the IT department has disappeared, which not only eliminates the human errors associated with them but also reduces man-hours and enables a rapid response."
Balancing Security Enhancement and Workload Reduction
"In the past, the IT department received updated personnel data from the HR department and registered it into the system through manual work, requiring us to pay close attention to system errors caused by work delays or registration mistakes. Now, those changes are automatically reflected in the data. This has allowed IT staff to concentrate on other duties," Kimura recalls.
Simultaneously, to strengthen security while maintaining ease of use, Niterra introduced MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) and Okta FastPass. This allowed employees to use biometric authentication, such as fingerprinting, or passwordless login. As a result, the hassle of entering passwords repeatedly has been removed (reducing password fatigue), while resistance to phishing attacks has increased.
A particularly significant impact was brought to the improvement of authentication at manufacturing sites. Because employees working in factories wear gloves, masks, and safety goggles, conventional authentication methods like password entry were not practical. However, by introducing Okta FastPass, they can now access systems more easily and securely without using passwords.
Kimura shared: "The ability to authenticate securely and conveniently on the factory floor—without touching a keyboard or removing safety gear—is exactly the kind of practical innovation we were looking for."
Realizing Speed and Agility in M&A
As Niterra expands its business through M&A, Okta will play a vital role in accelerating integration speed. Previously, it took a long time to align the systems of a newly joined group company and onboard users. However, going forward, the standardized identity governance and automation mechanisms will allow the IT department to incorporate a new group company into the platform in just a few days.
"When we were using Active Directory, system alignment during a merger took a lot of time. However, to realize rapid and efficient global transformation, we needed to respond more quickly while maintaining security," Kimura explains.
Flexible Governance for a Federated Enterprise
While promoting standardization, Niterra fully understands that different group companies have different requirements. Therefore, they adopted a "Hub & Spoke" identity model utilizing Okta. This allows them to manage policies and authentication centrally using Universal Directory and MFA, while delegating flexible management authority to IT teams in each region.
"While group companies can freely manage their own applications, we are now able to manage policies and authentication centrally. That balance is essential to our business," Kimura says.
The Future of Identity at Niterra
Now that the foundation—stabilization of core systems, thoroughness of access policies, and strengthened governance—is in place, the company is moving to the next phase of transformation. The roadmap includes expanding Okta to other group companies, spreading passwordless authentication company-wide, and automatically adjusting access rights based on the device, location, and user behavior, aiming for even greater security and convenience.
As the company continues to evolve from a leader in manufacturing to a data-driven technology provider, Okta will continue to walk alongside them as an important partner. Finally, Kimura told us: "By utilizing Okta, we can safely connect the right people to the right systems at the right time. For us, as we create value that goes beyond manufacturing, this element is indispensable."
About Niterra
Headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Niterra Co., Ltd. (NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.) is a comprehensive ceramics manufacturer established in 1936. The company boasts the world's top market share (*) in the manufacture and sale of spark plugs and ceramic products. Leveraging its proprietary ceramic technologies, it has grown into a global enterprise with over 60 locations and more than 15,000 employees worldwide. *Based on company estimates as of the end of March 2024.
Currently, the company operates across diverse sectors, including mobility, semiconductors, and environment/energy, providing mobility solutions that make human travel more convenient. Under its 2040 vision, "Change with Will!", the company is carving out its future by utilizing data while striving to realize a sustainable society.
Niterra Website: https://www.niterragroup.com/
*The information in this case study is current as of October 2025.
