[Exclusive] Korea Vacuum Metallurgy Pursuing Special Technology Listing, NH Investment & Securities Selected as Lead Manager

Strengths in Aerospace Materials and Semiconductor Sputtering Target Materials
Leading Localization of Special Alloys and Ultra-High Purity Metals Requiring High Precision and High Purity

Korea Vacuum Metallurgy, which develops core materials for super-gap technology development, is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO). The goal is to enter the KOSDAQ market within this year.

According to the industry on the 8th, Korea Vacuum Metallurgy has selected NH Investment & Securities as the lead manager and is pursuing listing through the materials, parts, and equipment (SoBuJang) technology special case.

Korea Vacuum Metallurgy primarily operates in aerospace materials, semiconductor sputtering target materials, hydrogen fuel cell and nuclear power generation materials, and FMM materials. The company localizes core materials necessary for the government's fostered super-gap technology development and develops new materials.

The company was founded in March 2003 by CEO Moon Seung-ho, a Ph.D. graduate from Seoul National University’s Department of Metallurgical Engineering. Over the past 20 years, it has been a specialized company in special metal materials, focusing on the localization of special alloys and ultra-high purity metals requiring high precision and purity, as well as the development of new materials.

In 2020, it was recognized as a leading company in the localization of advanced metal materials and was selected as a 'SoBuJang Strong Small and Medium Enterprise.' Acknowledged for its top-level domestic technology, it is currently conducting various government and private R&D projects related to the localization of special metals and new material development.

Special metals are produced with high purity free of impurities. They function without deformation even in extreme environments and are used as core materials in aircraft and rocket engines, power generation gas turbines, petrochemical plants, nuclear power plant reactors, high-purity sputtering targets for semiconductors, and defense sectors.

High heat-resistant, high-function special metals are used as core materials in key national industries such as petrochemicals, heavy industries, marine plants, and aerospace. As of 2018, $270 million worth of these materials were imported. Most of these items depend on imports from advanced overseas technology companies such as those in the United States and Japan.

Meanwhile, Korea Vacuum Metallurgy independently developed FMM materials in 2018 after years of research and development, breaking the monopoly held by Japan’s Hitachi Metals. Unable to find a domestic processing company capable of producing thin coils, the company invested in its own facilities to establish hot rolling equipment and plans to mass-produce materials usable for FMM manufacturing for the first time in Korea this year.

Based on its experience in localizing and supplying special metals for nozzles required for Korean launch vehicle development, the company has entered the aerospace rocket material market, which accounts for 50% of global special metal demand. It began supplying global rocket launch companies last year and is generating sales from aerospace special metals in earnest starting this year.

Leveraging its experience in localizing sputtering targets for the electronics sector, it has also entered the high-purity, high-cleanliness material field for sputtering targets used in semiconductor front-end processes. It supplies sputtering targets to domestic semiconductor companies through global semiconductor material suppliers. Additionally, through various government and private R&D projects, it is developing special metals used in hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen storage facilities.

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