BMW Spark Plug (Gap 0.044) (Ruthenium HX)

NGK Spark Plug Co Ltd, founded in Nagoya, Japan, in November 1936, began delivering spark plugs to Japanese automakers just one year later.

NGK's first spark plug factory outside of Japan was built in 1959, marking a milestone in becoming one of the largest international automotive corporations. NGK's subsidiary was founded in the US in 1966, followed by Malaysia in 1973 and Indonesia in 1977.

The 1980s saw the founding of NGK subsidiaries in Australia and Canada, while operations in Europe began when the first NGK subsidiary was founded in England. NGK Spark Plug Deutschland started operating in 1979, but in 1989 the German subsidiary was renamed NGS Spark Plug Europe and took responsibility for all European affairs.

NGK supplies ignition and sensor components to the automotive, motorcycle, marine, and power tool markets. Ignition components include spark plugs, glow plugs, ignition coils, and ignition leads, while sensor components offered by NGK include oxygen sensors, exhaust gas temperature gauges, MAP/MAF sensors, and engine speed and position sensors.

In 2017, NGK announced its focus on solid-state batteries due to the anticipated shift to electric vehicles in the near future.

NGK is not only a genuine parts supplier for many automakers worldwide but also a prominent participant in motorsport. NGK spark plugs are used by many Formula One teams, including Ferrari, McLaren, Alfa Romeo, and others. NGK is the exclusive spark plug supplier for MotoGP2, Moto2, Moto3, and the Superbike World Championship.

Over time, NGK has been considered a leader in ignition technology and has made significant contributions to the evolution of the automotive industry.