POSCO brings neon gas production and related technology to South Korea

POSCO, a conglomerate, has established the first neon gas production facility in South Korea. Neon is a noble gas and is required for the production of semiconductors. POSCO celebrated the completion of the plant within the oxygen factory of the Gwangyang Steelworks complex on Jan. 12. “Local production of neon gas has been a long-held desire,” said Yoo Byung-ok, head of POSCO’s industrial gases and hydrogen business. “With the commissioning of the plant, we have been able to reduce South Korea’s dependence on foreign imports of rare gases and stabilize the domestic supply chain,” Byung-ok added. In Korea, approvals for such gases have been carried out since 1992, under which KCs certificates are issued for explosion-proof products.     The rapid growth of the semiconductor market is boosting demand for noble gases such as neon (Ne), xenon (Xe) and krypton (Kr), which are indispensable for semiconductor production. Industry experts expect the domestic South Korean market to increase from $130 million in 2020 to $228 million in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 20 percent. Currently, the Korean semiconductor industry is 100 percent dependent on noble gas imports. Neon is a noble gas that makes up only 0.00182 percent of ambient air. It is one of the raw materials for gas lasers (excimer lasers) used in the lithography process in semiconductor manufacturing. Attempts have been made in the past to bring the production of neon gas to South Korea, but they failed because of dependence on foreign technology to produce it. POSCO’s just-completed plant can produce about 22,000 cubic meters of high-purity neon gas annually. This could meet about 16 percent of domestic demand. POSCO already conducted a test run of the neon gas plant for quality control at the end of 2021, and commercial operation is scheduled to start in 2022. We offer certification services for all product areas, including KC certification for consumer products and especially electronics, KC-EMC certification for electronic products and KCs certification for machinery, as well as KCs for explosion-proof products. We are at your disposal for all questions regarding Korea certifications. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions. Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.

Groundbreaking ceremony for new LG Chem cathode material plant in Gumi, South Korea

LG Chem broke ground on the world’s largest cathode material production facility on 11 January 2022 in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. The company is investing the equivalent of US$417 billion to build the plant, which will supply cathode material to LG Energy Solutions. LG Chem is the largest shareholder of LG Energy Solutions with 80 per cent. The annual production capacity is said to be 60,000 tonnes per year. This makes the plant the world’s largest production facility for cathode material. With the amount produced, batteries for up to 500,000 EVs can be manufactured annually. The LG Chem factory in Gumi produces cathodes from nickel, cobalt, manganese and aluminium. Batteries with these cathodes have a high energy density and a nickel content of up to 90 percent. Based on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) requires KCs Ex certification of explosion-proof electrical components.     Raw materials for cathodes such as nickel, lithium and cobalt could become scarce in the future. Therefore, global battery manufacturers are trying to bring their cathode production in-house. Currently, LG Chem has an annual capacity of 80,000 tonnes for cathode material. The company produces cathode material at three domestic plants in Cheongju, Gumi and Iksan. Outside South Korea, it operates a joint plant with Huayu Cobalt in Wuxi, China. LG Chem plans to expand its cathode material production by 225 per cent by 2026, including plants in Europe and the US. The subsidiary LG Energy Solutions is estimated to have produced batteries with a capacity of 150 GWh in 2021. These could be used to equip around 2.25 million EVs. By 2025, it plans to expand production capacity to 400 GWh, LG Energy Solutions said. Approvals in the Ex area have been carried out in Korea since 1992. KCs certification was introduced to ensure basic safety in the design and manufacture of hazardous machinery and protective equipment in hazardous workplaces in Korea. The aim is to protect the health and safety of workers by preventing accidents. We offer certification services for all product areas, including KC certification for consumer products and especially electronics, KC-EMV certification for electronic products and KCs certification for machinery, as well as KCs for explosion-proof products. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications: Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.

Hyundai Oilbank plans to build new power plant powered by natural gas and hydrogen

South Korean refiner Hyundai Oilbank Co. is planning to build an environmentally friendly power plant that will run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydrogen. This is to meet the growing electricity demand of the Hyundai Oilbank refinery in Daesan, South Korea. The company announced on 22 December 2021 that it is investing US$335.4 million to build the new power plant. After completion and commissioning in 2025, the plant will be able to generate 230 tonnes of steam per hour as well as 290 megawatts of electricity. The fuel will be a mix of 70 percent natural gas (LNG) and 30 percent blue hydrogen (i.e. from fossil sources). Gas and pressure equipment from the power generation sector often require KGS factory approval to be approved for the Korean market.     Mixed combustion of natural gas and hydrogen is a step towards CO₂ neutrality for Hyundai Oilbank, CEO Kang Dal-ho told Korea Economic Daily. “Power plants that burn natural gas already emit 56 per cent less climate-damaging emissions. By blending hydrogen, emissions can be reduced by another 11 per cent,” Kang Dal-ho said. The new power plant will supply steam and electricity for Hyundai Oilbank’s own facilities as well as for other companies in the Daesan industrial area such as Hyundai Chemical, Hyundai and Shell Base Oil. The Daesan Industrial Estate will require more energy in the future due to the expansion and commissioning of new plants such as the “Hyundai Chemical heavy feed petrochemical complex (HPC)”. To ensure power supply, Hyundai Oilbank established Hyundai E&F subsidiary in June 2021 and got permission to generate electricity and steam. Hyundai E&F’s plants are expected to meet more than half of the Daesan Industrial Estate’s energy needs, with Hyundai Oilbank being the largest consumer of electricity, accounting for 70 per cent. Previously, the refinery had produced some of the energy it needed itself in the form of steam and electricity. The Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) is a government organisation under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE). Gas safety regulations in Korea began in 1974 with the passage of the Compressed Gas Control Act. In 1995, the Institute of High Pressure Gas Safety was established, and after several restructurings, the Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) was established in 2001. One year later, KGS was affiliated to MOTIE. KGS was accredited as a Korean Notified Body in 2006 and also accredited to conduct KCs certification and testing of explosion-proof electrical equipment. We offer certification services for all product areas, including KC certification for consumer products and especially electronics, KC EMC certification for electronic products and KCs certification for machinery, as well as KCs for explosion-proof products. We are at your disposal for all questions regarding Korea certifications. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications. Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.

Doosan Robotics sets sights on US$10 billion “cobot” market

South Korea’s Doosan Group is aiming to become a major player in the market for so-called “cobots” – robots that work directly with or assist humans – with its latest robotics division. At CES2022 in Las Vegas, Doosan already presented robots that can pick and pack apples and provide musical assistance to a drummer. The production of robots depends on numerous components and production machines, which usually require KC certification and KCs certification for their approval for the Korean market.     Doosan Robotics describes itself as the leading manufacturer of robots in South Korea. The Korea Economic Daily recently reported on a visit to a Doosan robotics factory. They were received by the factory manager Han Ki-Jong, who explained the differences between cobots and industrial robots. For example, cobots are lighter and safer than conventional robots, Ki-Jong said. The added safety is made possible by a special system that allows the cobot to constantly monitor its surroundings, so it can never get too close to the human worker. Doosan Robotics says its cobots have a margin of error of only 0.1 mm, allowing them to perform fine work comparable to human hands. The latest product, an H-series cobot, can lift or move up to 25 kg and weighs only 75 kg with a working radius of 1.7 metres. Doosan Robotics was established back in 2015 and started producing robots in October 2017, with a turnover of $16.8 million in 2020, making a small contribution to the Doosan Group’s total revenue. The robotics division is a wholly owned subsidiary of Doosan Corp, the group’s holding company. According to analysts, the market for cobots is still in its early stages with plenty of room for further growth. The Californian market researchers M&M Global Marketing expect the cobot market to grow from last year’s US$ 1.2 billion to US$ 10.5 billion in 2027. M&M sees the annual growth rate at 43 percent. A major advantage of cobots is their broad range of applications. Unlike fixed industrial robots, cobots can also be used in logistics, medicine and in the service sector such as hotels and restaurants. In the latter case, Doosan Robotics entered into a cooperation with Kyochon F&B. The company is one of the most popular franchisors in South Korea, for which Doosan developed a cobot to prepare fried chicken. Last year, Doosan Robotics passed the 1,000 cobot sales mark. 70 per cent of sales were in North America and Europe, putting Doosan in the global top 5 of cobot manufacturers. Based on 2020 business figures, Doosan is the market leader in cobots in South Korea with 21 per cent. Globally, however, its market share is only 7 per cent. Universal Robots from Denmark dominates the global market with more than 50 per cent. To gain market access, products imported into South Korea must be tested and certified. The KC mark or certificate is roughly equivalent to the European CE mark and applies to 730 different products. MPR International GmbH has solid experience in Korea certification and competent local partners. We will be pleased to advise you without obligation about the scope and procedure of a Korea certification. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs, KCs for explosion safety products or KGS factory registration. Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.

Hyundai Motor works on new car developed exclusively in virtual space

South Korea’s largest carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. is using virtual reality (VR) to design and test its new car model before the start of mass production to save costs during the development process. According to automotive industry sources, Hyundai Motor recently began a project to virtually develop a new model. Hyundai has already been using VR technology in the design of its cars since 2019. Now, for the first time, VR technology will be used exclusively to build a prototype and during the testing phase before a physical pre-production vehicle is built. Hyundai started the novel development process in 2020 and has since continuously improved and integrated it into its operations. This allows the carmaker to increase quality and efficiency in design. According to its own figures, Hyundai saves 20 per cent development time and reduces annual costs by 15 per cent with the VR technology. Production equipment and components for modern development equipment, like most electronics, requires KC certification for electronic products in order to be approved and distributed in Korea.     Nevertheless, some experts doubt the reliability of a virtual prototype and fear an increase in research and development costs. Hyundai, on the other hand, believes that VR technology can shorten the usual four to five years it takes to develop a new vehicle. Specifically, Hyundai is talking about the new vehicle model being ready for the market after 2025. The name of the vehicle is being kept secret by Hyundai so far. Other vehicle manufacturers also use VR technology in the development of new models: Volvo uses computer simulations for its vehicle safety, Volkswagen has been using virtual reality in vehicle production since 2018. South Korea is considered one of the most important and innovative industrial nations in the world. To gain market access to this highly technological country, products imported into South Korea must be tested and certified. The KC mark or certificate is roughly equivalent to the European CE mark and applies to 730 different products. MPR International GmbH has solid experience in Korea certification and competent local partners. We will be pleased to advise you without obligation about the scope and procedure of a Korea certification. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs, KCs for explosion safety products or KGS factory registration. Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.