'Sonagi Order' Amid Tap Water Larvae Crisis... Shower Filter Factory Running at Full Capacity

Visiting Incheon Seongwoo Sonagi Factory
20,000 Products Shipped in a Week
10 Times More Than Usual
Overtime and Additional Hiring
Supply Inquiries Also Coming from Convenience Stores

Seongwoo Sonagi employees are assembling products, including ultrasonic welding work and filter installation, to produce the 'Vitamin Showerhead'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] On the 27th, at Sungwoo Sonagi, a showerhead and filter manufacturer located in Gajwa-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, the employees' hands moved quickly to meet the surge in orders caused by the recent tap water larvae incident. On the production line, assembly work was in full swing for the 'Vitamin Showerhead' equipped with a two-stage filter that can remove rust and residual chlorine mixed in tap water twice. Meanwhile, showerheads shaped like popular characters were being molded one by one by automated machines.

Baek Inseon, CEO of Sungwoo Sonagi, said, "In the past week, 20,000 filter showerhead products have been shipped," adding, "Compared to the usual shipment of about 2,000 units per week, this is about a tenfold increase." CEO Baek conveyed the busy atmosphere, saying, "Employees are working overtime on weekends to quickly produce the overflowing volume and supply it to customers."

An employee of Seongwoo Sonagi is inspecting whether water flows well from the Vitamin shower head using internal pressure and durability testing equipment.

Starting from the Seo-gu area of Incheon earlier this month, complaints about tap water larvae have been reported nationwide, increasing consumer anxiety and causing a surge in demand for filter showerheads. Following last May's 'Red Tap Water' incident in Incheon, this year saw larvae appearing in tap water, which has significantly heightened consumer interest in water that comes into direct contact with the skin.

Since its establishment in 2014, Sungwoo Sonagi has mainly produced finished filter showerhead products through an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) method. Although it is a small enterprise with fewer than 10 employees, the production factory is filled with facilities for various related tasks, including mold manufacturing for showerhead parts, injection molding, rubber molding, assembly, and packaging. Additionally, the quality control room is equipped with pressure and durability testing equipment to inspect whether water flows properly from the showerhead.

Sungwoo Sonagi produces showerheads and filters commissioned by more than ten companies, including the environmental home appliance company Wonbong's 'Luhens' brand. CEO Baek said, "Orders from companies requesting filter showerhead production have surged, leading us to hire short-term contract workers due to a shortage of manpower," adding, "We are currently operating all production lines, but as order volumes are expected to continue increasing, we will likely need to hire more employees."

Showerhead and filter products from Wonbong Ruhens brand, produced by Seongwoo Sonagi

The Vitamin Showerhead, which was being assembled in the production factory, is a product released by Wonbong. The Luhens Vitamin Showerhead is characterized by improved hygiene through a 'Sediment Filter' that removes rust and suspended solids from tap water and a 'Vitamin Filter' containing vitamin C that eliminates residual chlorine.

This product was developed in terms of design and product by Wonbong's technology research institute. Sungwoo Sonagi was responsible for some of the design and production. Sungwoo Sonagi expects a continuous influx of work as Wonbong, the primary contractor, is preparing to launch a series of new products, including four types of water purification filters used in kitchens.

CEO Baek positively forecasted the market, saying, "Recently, even convenience store franchises have inquired whether we can supply filter showerhead products, indicating rapid market expansion, and the era when showerhead filters become daily necessities is coming."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.