LG Chem further expands its leading position in the global automotive battery market

According to market observers from SNE Research, LG Chem was able to secure the top position in the global market for automotive batteries in the months January to September 2020 with a market share of 24.6 percent. The batteries delivered by LG Chem during this period had a total capacity of 19.9 gigawatt hours (GWh). Competitor Samsung SDI was able to gain a place in the global comparison and is now in fourth position with a market share of 6.2 percent or 5.0 GWh. SK Innovation rose by three places to sixth rank. The market share is 4.4 percent or 3.5 GWh. The combined market share of these three South Korean companies is 35.1 percent, more than double last year’s 16.2 percent.

 

 

While Korean battery manufacturers reported satisfactory business figures, companies from Japan and China reported a slowdown in sales. CATL from China was number one worldwide in 2019 with a market share of 26.5 percent, but lost its leading role and fell to 23.7 percent in 2020. Panasonic from Japan was second in 2019 with 25.0 percent market share, but fell to third place this year with 19.5 percent. The declines at Chinese and Japanese companies are due to weaker demand for electric vehicles in China and the U.S. during the first half of 2020. Overall, the battery capacity of all electric vehicles registered worldwide in the period January to September fell from 81.9 in 2019 to currently 80.8 GWh.

In the meantime, LG Chem announced at a shareholder meeting on October 30, 2020, that it will spin off its battery business into a new company LG Energy Solution. The shareholders have already approved the plan. The Group plans to increase LG Energy Solution’s revenues to USD 26.9 billion by 2024. Components of electric vehicles, which include batteries, must undergo certification in Korea. The KC mark or KC certificate is roughly equivalent to the European CE mark and applies to 730 different products, the scope of which changes frequently. We offer certification services for all product areas. We have developed particular expertise in the automotive, electrical, mechanical engineering, telecommunications and IT sectors.

If you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs or KCs for explosion safety products, feel free to contact us any time.

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Rising vehicle imports in South Korea despite Covid 19 pandemic

The Association of Korean Auto Importers and Distributors announced the latest figures on November 4. In October, 24,157 imported vehicles were newly registered, an increase of 9.8 percent over the previous year. A total of 216,004 vehicles were sold in the first ten months of the year. This represents an increase of 14.2 percent over the same period last year.

 

 

Broken down by manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz was able to maintain its leading position with 6,576 vehicles, but lost 18.1 percent compared to October 2019. Mercedes benefited from new models of its E-Class, which is now in its 10th generation, as well as the new plug-in hybrid SUV GLC 300e 4MATIC. BMW follows in second place with 5,320 vehicles, an increase of around 29 percent. The other places are occupied by Audi with 2,527, Volkswagen 1,933, Volvo 1,449, Jeep 937 and Mini 890 vehicles. Japanese manufacturers were also able to make good their losses. Thanks to the popularity of hybrid vehicles, the sales figures of Lexus rose by 91 percent to 871 vehicles and Toyota by 35 percent to 553 vehicles.

The best-selling import vehicle in South Korea in October was the Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI with 1,089 units. In second place is the Volvo XC40 B4 AWD (1,017 units), followed by the BMW 520 (834 units), Mercedes E 220d 4MATIC (622 units) and finally the Mercedes GLA 250 4MATIC (585 units). Lim Han-kyu, deputy chairman of the Association of Korean Automobile Importers and Distributors, explained that the increase in vehicle imports was due to the introduction of new models and their adequate procurement by the dealers. MPR International GmbH will be pleased to advise them regarding a Korean certification in the automotive sector. We have already successfully accompanied many large automotive suppliers and also vehicle manufacturers with locations in Korea in their certification projects and have been supporting these companies for several years.

If you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs or KCs for explosion safety products, feel free to contact us any time.

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Doosan Logistics Solutions markets Geek+ robots for Korean distribution centers

Doosan Logistics Solutions Co. (DLS), the logistics and automation provider of the South Korean conglomerate Doosan Group, has signed an exclusive agreement with Geek+ to distribute autonomous logistics robots in Korean distribution centers. Geek+ is China’s leading manufacturer of logistics robots. The agreement includes the exclusive right of DLS to distribute Geek+ logistics robots in South Korea and to perform maintenance and repair work. The rapid growth of online commerce and contactless shopping highlights the importance of accessible and efficiently operated logistics centers. Founded in May 2019, Doosan Logistics Solutions offers its customers a complete solution that includes planning, setup and software for logistics and distribution centers.

 

 

Geek+ is the world’s largest provider of autonomous logistics robots with a market share of 16 percent. The company has already sold more than 10,000 robots for automated warehouses and has gained more than 200 customers since its establishment in 2015, including Walmart, Nike and Dell. The automated robots for picking and placing shipments in the warehouse increase productivity by up to 300 percent, and the robots for distributing shipments within the warehouse by up to 500 percent. The robots communicate within the warehouse using radio modules such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or 4G/5G. For products with radio technologies, KC EMC certification is required to gain access to the South Korean market. This applies to products with radio technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID or other wireless communication technologies. MPR International GmbH has solid experience in Korea certification and competent local partners.

If you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs or KCs for explosion safety products, feel free to contact us any time.

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Korean chip maker SK Hynix expects to triple sales by 2025

South Korean chip maker SK Hynix expects sales of its NAND memory chips to triple in the next five years, following the recent acquisition of the relevant business unit from Intel in October 2020. NAND memory chips, also known as flash memory, are built into memory cards, USB drives, SSD drives and smartphones, among other things. Industrial applications include scientific instruments, robots and medical devices. Flash memory offers fast access times but is surpassed by RAM or ROM memory. The advantage of flash memory is its relatively high resistance to shock and vibration, which is why it has largely replaced conventional hard drives in portable devices.

 

 

“The company will grow self-sustained in the NAND memory segment over the next three years and triple its sales in this business over the next five years,” said SK Hynix CEO Leo Seok-hee during a conference call to announce third quarter results. SK Hynix was already considered a market leader in DRAM and is now considered a global leader in memory manufacturing following the acquisition of Intel’s NAND division. SK Hynix acquired Intel’s businesses in October 2020 for $9 billion. These include the SSD hard disk drive operations and a NAND chip plant in Dalian, China. Last year, SK Hynix sold $4.5 billion of NAND storage, or 19 percent of its total $24 billion business turnover. Prior to the acquisition, Intel’s storage division reported sales of $4.4 billion in 2019.

SK Hynix intends to strengthen its global market position by acquiring Intel’s storage business and to expand and enhance its SSD product portfolio. The company also plans to balance its DRAM and flash memory businesses. Semiconductor industry analysts have seen an increase in global DRAM chip purchases, citing Huawei’s U.S. trade ban. The Chinese company secured large sums of semiconductors in the global market before the ban took effect on September 15, 2020. In the case of SK Hynix, DRAM memory sales accounted for 75 percent, while NAND flash memory achieved 24 percent. Both figures were calculated for the third quarter of 2020. South Korea is considered one of the most important and innovative industrial nations in the world. Many products imported into South Korea must be tested and certified in advance.

If you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs or KCs for explosion safety products, feel free to contact us any time.

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Hyundai Motor exports first fuel cell system to Europe

South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor maintains its leading role in the field of hydrogen technology by exporting fuel cells. The delivery to a Swiss company is the first export of fuel cells instead of complete hydrogen-powered vehicles. Hyundai’s 95 kilowatt fuel cell system, which typically powers the Nexo SUV, will soon be delivered to the Swiss company GRZ Technologies as well as to another European start-up in the emergency power supply sector. According to the Korean Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Hyundai’s deliveries are expected to increase in 2022, after European companies have completed a one-year test phase of the system.

 

 

GRZ Technologies has its own metal-hybrid technology for hydrogen storage and is currently developing compressors and sensors for the serial production of its systems. The systems can store five to ten times the amount of hydrogen than conventional tanks at a low pressure of less than 10 bar. Hyundai Motor and GRZ Technologies have been working together on this technology since October 2019. Decisive for the export of the first units was the announcement of the European Commission of its strategy with hydrogen as energy carrier of the future. With the help of clean energy from hydrogen, the EU wants to reduce its CO2 emissions and become climate neutral by 2050.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor has built the world’s first production line for hydrogen-powered trucks and delivered 10 vehicles to Switzerland. It is hoped that this will further strengthen its leading role in the hydrogen sector in Europe. In addition, the company is in talks with 20 other interested companies from the USA and China. Hyundai CEO Chung Euisun confirmed in July the importance of hydrogen for the global energy economy. In his opinion fuel cells will be used in the future to generate energy in airplanes, ships, trains and houses. Last month Hyundai already signed an agreement with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and the Fortescue Metals Group to research new hydrogen technologies. MPR International GmbH offers certification services in South Korea for all product areas, including KC certification for consumer products and especially electronics, KC EMC certification for electronic produts, and KC’s certification for machinery and explosion-proof products. We are at your disposal for any questions about Korea certifications.c

If you need assistance or have any questions, feel free to contact us any time.

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