CEO Sung Do-kyung said, "Adapting 'Super Cap' to Hybrid and Electric Vehicles"

"The second plant will be completed at the end of May, and shareholders will be invited to show it."

View of Vinatech Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plant 1 located in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do 

Construction of the second plant was busy on the site of a hydrogen fuel cell plant of KOSDAQ-listed Vinatech located in the Wanju Techno Valley General Industrial Complex in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do. When Vinatech second plant is completed in May, construction of the third plant will begin on a 2,000-pyeong site nearby. It has two floors and a total of 4,000 pyeong. In addition, the site for the fourth plant, which is expected to be completed in the next year, has already been secured. When all the factories are completed, the total site area is about 18,000 pyeong.
 

"The demand for adopting hydrogen fuel cells in eco-friendly cars is increasing faster than expected, especially in Europe," said Jeong Han-ki, president of Vinatech hydrogen fuel cell division, who met at the first hydrogen fuel cell building on the 26th. "The performance will increase significantly from this year."

Vinatech produces 1.3 million membrane electrode conjugates (MEA) per month at its first plant alone, which is considered a key material for hydrogen fuel cells. In particular, the company is producing a durable carbon support, and the process has been kept secure enough to keep it private. "Our strength is that the support can be differentiated from other companies," Chung hinted.

Inside Plant 1, Vinatech MEA, support, and supercapacitor were displayed. Products that were mainly produced in small size in the past were gradually being sold in sets or undergoing enlargement. It is expected that 1 million more MEA production units will be added. It is a strategy to gradually expand production lines by applying supplementary matters found in previous production processes.

Plant 2, which will be built in the future, will also produce pouch-type supercapacitors. Plant 3 leads systematization through module production. Sales from 5 billion won to 6 billion won last year at its hydrogen fuel cell division are targeting 13 billion won this year, more than doubling. It is preemptively expanding facilities for mass production.

"We will continue to knock on the global market with our technological strengths," President Chung said. "If we enter China through a European company that is friendly to us, we expect our production volume to be 10 times higher than Hyundai Motor roadmap by 2030."

"The future fight will depend on securing price competitiveness," he said, adding, "We are accelerating research and development of materials that can replace platinum because we believe that it is difficult to continue to survive at the current cost to be versatile in the existing reference."

Vinatech Plant 2 is being built. 

I moved to Vinatech Jeonju headquarters and met with Sung Do-kyung, CEO of Vinatech.

CEO Sung still expressed confidence in growth despite last year somewhat sluggish performance. This is because the profits of the hydrogen fuel cell division have exceeded the break-even point (BEP) since this year and meaningful sales are in full swing.

"As the hydrogen fuel cell business has eliminated losses this year, it will surge in 2027 and grow significantly after 2030," he said. "While expanding its market share of MEA in Korea, love calls are continuing in Europe, which continues to invest in RE100."

CEO Sung attention is on expanding the adaptability of super capacitors. Recently, attempts to increase practicality and safety by applying super capacitors to hybrid cars and electric commercial vehicles have begun in related industries.

"Super capacitors have a long replacement cycle and no fire risk," he said. "Electric vehicles such as Tesla are designed to prevent doors from opening in the event of a fire. This risk can be reduced if the auxiliary switch is made through super capacity."

He added, "In addition, there is an advantage of increasing battery life and increasing mileage, so demand is also rapidly increasing in the U.S. outside of Europe."

CEO Sung emphasized, "We will invite major shareholders to the completion ceremony of the second plant at the end of May so that they can see it in person."

Since the groundbreaking ceremony for the second plant has not been held separately, we will start construction of the third plant in early June at the same time as the completion in May, he said. "At this time, we will invite shareholders from all over the country to check the background of our confidence."

Supercapacitor and Hydrogen Fuel Cell on Display inside Vinatech Plant 1 

*Source : (https://www.fnnews.com/news/202402290741340440)