MPR at the Expert Forum Future Battery 2022 on November 3rd and 4th in Berlin

For the third year in a row, experts in battery solutions from industry and academia came together at Future Battery to talk about the latest issues that are upcoming in battery applications and to participate in various workshops. This year the topic was “Next level: Establishing the battery society”, highlighting five strategic future topics on the role of battery technology for industry and society. Aspects of material and component supply, production scaling, regulatory requirements and sustainability issues such as recyclability or raw material optimization were the focus.     This year, the Future Battery conference was held as a hybrid event at the EstrelConferenceCenter (ECC) Berlin and online with a supporting app. With 80 exhibition booths, visitors could explore the new ideas and technologies of the participating companies on site and obtain valuable information about products and developments. A very agile event format that brought together about 500 participants directly and another 2,500 participants online. This brought together automotive OEMs, manufacturers of battery systems and cells, and their suppliers, so that the complete value-added spectrum of battery technology could be included. It was a lively and exciting exchange with a view far into the future to technological leaps that are already emerging today. For MPR International there were many insights to current and future opportunities. The massive increase in demand for batteries themselves in the field of e-mobility, as well as the demand for battery testing and approval oand/or registration in countries around the world has increased enormously. For MPR International this means that we have significantly increased our testing capacities therough our partner network. We have been receiving requests for testing from manufacturers who can no longer keep up with their test capacities. We are now able to offer extensive testing in Germany, other EU countries, the UK and the USA for battery testing at short notice and to carry out any necessary certifications. Of particular note here for Korea is KCs certification for electronic products, which are mandatory for many components and equipment involved in battery manufacturing. 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 For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.

Bottlenecks in South Korea show importance of foreign machine component imports

South Korean display machinery manufacturers are suffering from disruptions in the global supply chain, reports The Korea Economic Daily in its online site KED Global. The result of bottlenecks in certain components is delayed deliveries of machines and resulting interruptions in the expansion of production facilities at local panel manufacturers such as global market leader LG Display Co. According to the industry association “Korea Display Industry Association (KDIA),” domestic screen machine manufacturers would not have been able to meet delivery deadlines because important components from other countries were not available. In many cases, technical products must have KC certification in order to be exported to Korea.     Already known is an extension of the delivery time for OLED screens from three months to now more than six months after order, according to various industry insiders. A South Korean machine manufacturer had to postpone a promised delivery to its customer in June until the end of this year. As a result, the planned expansion of production and replacement of machines at the screen manufacturer was also delayed. Well-known machine manufacturers such as Wonik IPS Co., Jusung Engineering Co. and Sunic System Ltd. failed to procure certain individual parts domestically that are otherwise supplied from overseas. Some manufacturers even had to buy used parts from China for more than double the price. Currently, only 9 percent of all parts needed to make display machines come from South Korea, according to KDIA. Components from the U.S., Japan and Europe account for 37%, 29% and 19%, respectively. For industrial PCs and controls, South Korea relied entirely on suppliers from Taiwan. According to KDIA, such reliance on foreign suppliers makes the domestic industry very vulnerable to disruptions in the global supply chain. The most common components that have to be sourced from abroad are turbopumps, gas and air filters, and o-rings. To avoid such bottlenecks in the future, KDIA plans to work more closely with certain suppliers. Certifications for the Korean market are a complex hurdle and difficult to navigate due to different authorities and certification systems. With over 15 years of experience in the certification business, MPR International GmbH is your best resource for competent service when it comes to exporting to Korea. For example, KC Safety is relevant for electronics and household products mostly intended for consumers, as well as products for children and babies. 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“.

South Korea reduces import tariffs on certain products to fight inflation

The South Korean government reduced import tariffs on 26 key industrial products this year, including liquefied natural gas (LNG). The Ministry of Economy and Finance justified the decision by citing rising inflation in the country and hopes the move will slow price increases. In July, duty-free import volumes were set for certain product groups, while others are completely exempt from import duties for an indefinite period. For example, unlimited quantities of ethanol feedstocks would be allowed to be imported. Liquefied gases and their transport containers in many cases require certification by KGS to be approved for import and use in Korea.     Earlier this year, the government suspended import duties on liquefied natural gas (LNG) indefinitely. The expansion of the product list for duty-free imports came about the same time South Korea made headlines for its rising inflation. This was due to continued disrupted global supply chains and ongoing geopolitical tensions in Europe. As a result, consumer prices in South Korea rose six percent in June from a year earlier, marking the highest increase in nearly 24 years. The Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) is a government organization 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 with MOTIE. KGS was accredited as a Korean designated testing body in 2006 and was also accredited to perform 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 available to answer any questions you may have about Korea certifications. 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“.

Samsung and LG expand TV features to include cloud-based games

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will soon offer customers access to full-fledged computer games via a cloud-based streaming solution with their TVs. Spokespeople for the two companies made the announcement to The Korean Times newspaper in June of this year. Due to improvements in digital technology, the functions of TV sets are also increasing. In particular, tech giants such as Microsoft, Google and Nvidia are entering the TV market to offer their services on TV sets without the additional purchase of a game console. TV sets or their components may fall under KC certification, which is mandatory for many products to be approved for sale and use in the Korean market.     Samsung announced in this move that it has partnered with Microsoft to offer customers access to popular Xbox games on the latest Samsung smart TVs. The smart TVs will allow access to Xbox Game Pass through the Samsung Gaming Hub. Samsung says it is currently the only provider with this feature. Besides access to streamed games, the Samsung Gaming Hub also offers music or videos that are played simultaneously via multitasking. Competitor LG Electronics, on the other hand, works with Nvidia and offers customers access to games via Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud service or Google’s Stadia cloud service via its TVs. LG assumes that the functions of TV sets will be similar to those of smartphones or PCs in the future. The basis of this assessment is the improvement of TV hardware and network technology, said an LG spokesperson. Customers will therefore increasingly demand other services besides today’s video streaming. As a TV manufacturer, LG Electronics will try to respond to these requests from customers, the spokesperson added. Certifications for the Korean market are a complex hurdle and difficult to navigate due to different authorities and certification systems. With over 15 years of experience in the certification business, MPR International GmbH is your best resource for competent service when it comes to exporting to Korea. For example, KC Safety is relevant for electronics and household products, mostly intended for consumers, as well as products for children and babies. 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“.

LG Chem invests about 400 million US dollars in ABS plastics production

South Korea’s LG Chem, the chemicals business unit within the LG Group, is investing the equivalent of around US$400 million in the modernization and expansion of its ABS plastics production facility at Yeosu. The nation’s largest petrochemical company recently contracted DL Group’s construction company DL E&C to work on the Yeosu ABS production facility. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic is an impact-resistant polymer with strong resistance to heat and can be produced in a wide variety of colors. ABS is used in the automotive industry and household and electronic appliances, among other applications. To ensure basic safety in the design and manufacture of hazardous machinery and protective equipment in hazardous workplaces such as chemical plants in Korea, KCs certification is mandatory for many machines and components.     LG plans to carry out the expansion of the ABS plant in Yeosu by 2024 using energy-efficient technology. This will involve the construction of a new ABS production line with an annual capacity of 222,000 tons, while the old line producing 140,000 tons will be shut down. After the expansion, LG Chem’s annual ABS production capacity will increase from 1 million tons to 1.08 million tons. In addition to higher output, the expansion also serves to improve the safety of the plant, an LG Chem spokesman said, adding that existing equipment will be used for ongoing orders until the new plant is operational. The roughly $400 million investment is the company’s largest outside its battery division. The price of ABS rose last year due to increased demand from electronics during the Covid 19 pandemic. However, the price dropped again after the Ukraine war and China’s prolonged Covid-19 lockdown. KCs certification was introduced in South Korea to ensure basic safety in the design and manufacture of hazardous machinery and protective equipment in hazardous workplaces in Korea. The goal is to protect the health and safety of workers by preventing accidents. We provide 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. We are available to answer any questions you may have about Korea certifications. 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“.

Northvolt develops cylindrical cell type 2170

Battery manufacturer Northvolt recently announced the successful development of a Type 2170 round cell and plans to mass produce it soon. The specification 2170 means a diameter of 21 mm and a length of 70 mm of the individual battery cells. Northvolt’s entry into the market will further increase competitive pressure among global battery manufacturers, as South Korea’s LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI, among others, are also active in this field. Battery production may involve, among other things, components and equipment that require KC certification to be used in the Korean market.     As Business Korea writes, Northvolt introduced the new battery type in its 2021 sustainability report and on its website. It also renamed the brand names for round cells and rectangular cells to “Ling on berry Power” and “Ling on berry Life,” respectively. Northvolt was founded in 2016 and has been able to rise to become a major battery manufacturer with strong support from Volkswagen Group. The automotive group hopes to reduce its dependence on Asian cell producers through its investment. In addition to VW, Northvolt’s customers include BMW and Volvo. The global market for round cells is led by three companies: LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and Panasonic. According to analysts, Samsung SDI will feel the impact of Northvolt the most, as both companies manufacture identical products. In addition, Samsung SDI’s and Northvolt’s customers overlap, so competition could intensify. Nevertheless, South Korean battery experts believe that Northvolt is not currently at the technological level of its competitors. According to the experts, the technological lead of the South Korean manufacturers will continue for several more years. In all likelihood, they say, there will only be a shift in the market toward stronger regional supplies of battery cells. For example, European automakers could increasingly source their cells from Europe, said one industry analyst. Overall, however, demand for battery cells will increase as EVs become more widespread, and new as well as existing producers will benefit, the analyst concluded. Certifications for the Korean market are a complex hurdle and difficult to navigate due to different authorities and certification systems. With over 15 years of experience in the certification business, MPR International GmbH is your best resource for competent service when it comes to exporting to Korea. For example, KC Safety is relevant for electronics and household products mostly intended for consumers, as well as products for children and babies. 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).

Samsung works on the next generation of storage media

In July 2022, Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled an improved storage medium that significantly reduces computing time and power consumption. The storage medium is called the second generation of smart solid state drives (SSDs). Experts expect that this innovation will further consolidate Samsung’s top position in the SSD market. According to company data, Samsung owns a 40.9 percent market share in the first quarter of 2022. Samsung is also the world’s largest manufacturer of memory chips and plans to mass produce the new high-performance SSDs starting in 2024. SSDs store their data in memory chips and are well on the way to replacing conventional hard disks with magnetic storage. In Korea, electronic products and components require KC certification for electronic products to be approved for sale and use.     The new Samsung SSD processes part of the data directly instead of having it calculated by the CPU. This reduces data traffic between hardware such as the CPU, GPU and RAM. Samsung claims that compared to current SSDs, computing time is reduced by 50 percent, power consumption is reduced by 70 percent, and CPU usage is reduced by 97 percent. According to Samsung, the new technology is designed to eliminate bottlenecks in data movement between storage media and CPUs. At the same time, system performance and energy efficiency increases. The new second-generation Samsung SSD could be used in applications with high computing power such as artificial intelligence, Big Data, deep learning, and 5G and 6G mobile networks. Certifications for the Korean market are a complex hurdle and difficult to navigate due to different authorities and certification systems. With over 15 years of experience in the certification business, MPR International GmbH is your best resource for competent service when it comes to exporting to Korea. For example, KC Safety is relevant for electronics and household products mostly intended for consumers, as well as products for children and babies. 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“.

Popularity of imported luxury vehicles on the rise in both South Korea and Japan

In South Korea in 2021, the number of imported new cars each priced above 100 million won (about $81,000) was more than 59,000 units. This represents 22 percent of all imported vehicles to South Korea. A total of around 277,000 imported vehicles were sold in South Korea last year. Similar figures were reported for Japan by the Japan Automobile Import Association. There, over 28,700 vehicles were sold, each priced at more than 010 million yen (about $79,000). This represents a 23 percent increase over 2020 and is the highest figure since it was recorded in 2003. The total number of imported vehicles sold in Japan last year numbered more than 259,000 units. Many products linked to the automotive manufacture industries, f.e. example certain assembly line machinery and others, need a KCs certification in order to be allowed import and use in the Korean market.     An automotive industry expert attributed the rising popularity to two reasons: the restriction of overseas travel due to the Covid 19 pandemic and a strong stock market in the two countries. This led to higher disposable income and more luxury vehicle purchases. In contrast, the market in Korea and Japan faces several challenges in 2022. Both the shortage of semiconductors, the global pandemic and the situation in Ukraine led to impairments of the production chains. Observers continue to wait for further developments and are looking for an early recovery of sales figures after the crises have ended, as semiconductors have become more available again and more and more lockdowns in logistically critical cities such as Shanghai are being lifted by their governments. Does your company operate in the automotive industry and have or plan to have business relationships with South Korea? Many products imported into South Korea need to be pre-tested and certified. MPR International GmbH recommends itself as a partner for your Korea certification. We will be pleased to check for you, without obligation, whether your products are subject to certification and to prepare an attractive offer for you. 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“.

Team Event 2022 for MPR International in Frankfurt

This year’s team event of MPR International took place on September 14, 2022. After a long time of planning, a date was found where all members of the team from Germany could come together.     After the preliminary sports program in the form of stand-up paddling (SUP) on the river Main had to be postponed for the time being due to rain, the group gathered in the evening for a joint cooking class, which was professionally guided. Under the helpful and instructive supervision of the professional chef from Ketao present, a wonderful 6-course meal was prepared in collaboration. The dishes were refined according to the recommendations of the chef, with magnificent results. The event offered a lot of opportunity for exchange and there with an excellent atmosphere. The sociability and the gathering of all employees from Germany was a special and valuable experience for us all. We are glad that everyone enjoyed it and are grateful for the strong team spirit that prevails in our company. MPR International would also like to thank its customers for their continued trust. We continue to be at your disposal for professional consulting and implementation of certification projects world-wide.

Machinery manufacturer SFA plans to expand business beyond screens

South Korean machinery maker SFA, previously active in manufacturing machinery for the display screen industry, plans to expand its business to include semiconductors, batteries and logistics. This is necessary to give the company a broader base, CEO Kim Young-min told The Korea Times newspaper. He expects SFA to increase orders from the battery and logistics sectors as early as this year. Kim went on to say that his company aims to become the market leader in “smart factory equipment” in the long run. Many industry experts believe this sector promises high growth potential as digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data analytics help companies make better products more cheaply. In addition, SFA aims to actively target overseas markets and customers with its smart factory solutions and become a global market leader, Kim said. Products in these categories generally require KC Safety certification for electronic products in order to be approved for the Korean market.     SFA was founded in 1998 and has since specialized in the design and manufacture of automated machinery and systems for the display industry. However, board member Kim recognized the need for his company to diversify to be less dependent on the volatile display industry. SFA’s transformation began as early as 2017 and could show initial success in 2021, Kim said. Most promising, he said, are automated equipment for the production of EV batteries. These will continue to account for the largest share of new business at SFA, according to Kim. SFA’s machines can be used in automatic safety testing and quality control of automotive batteries, among other applications. For the current year, SFA has already received an order from a major Korean battery manufacturer, and more orders from other companies are on the horizon for the second half of the year, Kim said. To expand its position in the market, SFA is developing equipment for assembling battery packs from individual cells, as used in the automotive industry or battery manufacturing, in addition to inspection machines. Certifications for the Korean market are a complex hurdle and difficult to navigate due to different authorities and certification systems. With over 15 years of experience in the certification business, MPR International GmbH is your best contact for competent service when it comes to exporting to Korea. For example, KC Safety is relevant for electronics and household products mostly intended for consumers, as well as products for children and babies. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC for electronic products, 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“.