GENTEX CORP

Gentex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and supplies digital vision, connected car, premium audio, dimmable glass, fire protection technologies, medical devices, and consumer electronics. The company, incorporated in Michigan in 1974, provides automatic-dimming rearview and non-dimming mirrors and electronics for the automotive industry. It also offers premium quality sound equipment and other electronic products and accessories for the consumer electronics industry, dimmable aircraft windows for the aviation industry, and smoke alarms for the residential and commercial fire protection industry, along with signaling devices for commercial fire protection. The largest business segment focuses on designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing interior and exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors. These mirrors use proprietary electrochromic technology to dim based on headlight glare from trailing vehicles. Within this segment, Gentex also designs, develops, and manufactures various electronics that add value to interior and exterior automotive rearview mirrors, as well as electronics for interior visors, overhead consoles, and other vehicle locations. The company ships its products to all major automotive producing regions worldwide, supported by numerous global sales, engineering, and distribution locations. Initially, Gentex manufactured smoke detectors, a product line that has evolved into various fire protection technologies. In the 1980s, the company introduced an interior electromechanical automatic-dimming rearview mirror, followed by an interior electrochromic automatic-dimming rearview mirror for automotive applications. The 1990s saw the introduction of an exterior electrochromic automatic-dimming rearview mirror for automotive applications and volume shipments of three new exterior mirror sub-assembly products: thin glass flat, convex, and aspheric. In 2005, Gentex began volume shipments of its bezel-free exterior automatic dimming mirror, and in 2010, started delivering electrochromic dimmable aircraft windows for the aviation industry.