Kookmin Remicon, First Small and Medium Remicon Company to Establish a Smart Factory

Korea Federation of SMEs Achieves First Results in 'Ready-Mixed Concrete Industry Specialized Smart Factory Construction Project'
Inventory Accuracy and Management Workforce Productivity Increase by 30% and 20% Respectively

Current status of smart factory implementation at the Kukmin Remicon plant located in Yongin, Gyeonggi.
[Photo by Korea Federation of SMEs]

[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] Gukmin Remicon announced on the 20th that it has completed the establishment of a smart factory as the first small and medium-sized remicon company by participating in the government's 'Remicon Industry Specialized Smart Factory Construction Project.'

The 'Industry-Specific Specialized Smart Factory Project,' led by the Korea Federation of SMEs, is a project in which smart factory system suppliers and small and medium-sized enterprises jointly build smart factories. The suppliers design a basic smart factory model and modify systems according to the conditions of each factory.

The Korea Federation of SMEs explained that since most remicon companies are small businesses, it was difficult to individually establish smart factories. Additionally, because remicon is made from various types and conditions of raw materials, designing a smart factory model is more complicated compared to general manufacturing industries that produce standardized parts.

Accordingly, Gukmin Remicon promoted the construction of smart factories jointly with small remicon companies such as Namseong Remicon and Baebang Remicon. Consortiums composed of member companies from the information industry, including First R&D and Biz Korea, participated as solution providers, and the project was launched in earnest.

Conceptual diagram of the smart factory introduction by Kukmin Remicon. [Photo by Korea Federation of SMEs]

The newly established smart factory integrates information and communication technology (ICT) throughout the entire process from raw material receipt to product shipment. This enables efficient inventory management, standardization of raw material weighing and mixing to minimize quality variation, and real-time information sharing.

Factory efficiency has greatly improved. According to the Korea Federation of SMEs, after the smart factory was established, inventory accuracy and productivity of management personnel increased by 30% and 20%, respectively, compared to before. Working hours and raw material costs decreased by 20% and 3%, respectively.

Jowong Bae, CEO of Gukmin Remicon and Chairman of the Korea Remicon Industry Cooperative Federation, stated, "With the introduction of the smart factory, real-time management of production sites and quality is expected to enhance product competitiveness."

Han Byungjun, Director of the Information Industry Cooperative who participated in the project, said, "The introduction of smart factories in the remicon industry has provided an opportunity for small and medium-sized companies to optimize inventory, quality, and production," adding, "We will continue to provide new value to the small and medium remicon industry."

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