Dongguk CM Launches Full-Scale Entry into Latin American Market with 'Luxsteel'

Successful Participation in the '2023 Mexico Architecture Expo'

Dongkuk Steel Group's cold-rolled business unit, Dongkuk CM, announced on the 16th that it participated in the '2023 Mexico Architecture Expo' (EXPO CIHAC 2023) held in Mexico City, Mexico, for three days starting on the 11th (local time). This was Dongkuk CM's first face-to-face event in the Latin American market.

Celebrating its 33rd edition this year, the Mexico Architecture Expo is the largest building materials exhibition in Latin America. Dongkuk CM participated to target the Latin American market, which has high growth potential. Mexico ranks as the 15th largest steel producer in the world. As a geographical hub connecting North and Latin America, the steel industry outlook is bright due to U.S. nearshoring and government-led infrastructure investments. Nearshoring refers to the strategy of relocating production sites to neighboring countries to procure goods closer to the target market.

Dongkuk CM communicated with Latin American construction buyers centered on its premium building material, 'Luxteel.' The booth showcased infinite pattern implementation capabilities through digital printing products, while also featuring products preferred in the Mexican market such as entrance doors, roofing materials, and garage doors. By exhibiting Luxteel line panels, Dongkuk CM promoted itself as a company that can provide processing solutions beyond just materials.

Dongkuk CM reported that buyers showed high interest in the showcase where they could directly see products applied with Luxteel and the 3D experience that allowed them to apply Luxteel as building exterior materials. One buyer who visited the booth said, “It was amazing that realistic images can be implemented on steel plates,” adding, “Since it can be installed both inside and outside buildings, we are considering purchasing it.”

Encouraged by positive visitor feedback, Dongkuk CM received the Best Booth Design Award selected by the Mexico Architecture Expo organizers. The booth was positively evaluated for its 4-meter central pillar inside the booth, where the curvature of the line panels on the pillar walls was used to create two images in a lenticular manner (Lenticular, a technique where the design changes depending on the viewing angle).

Kim Han-gi, head of support at Dongkuk CM who oversaw the expo, said, “Latin American buyers tend to prefer face-to-face meetings over emails,” and added, “We will actively target the market using two coil centers in Mexico as bases.”

Dongguk CM booth at the Mexico Architecture Expo. Lenticular method applied to the line panel.
[Photo by Dongkuk Steel]

Dongkuk CM plans to secure the competitiveness of Luxteel and actively engage in sales activities with the goal of expanding its sales channels in Latin America.

As part of the 'DK Color Vision 2030' global expansion strategy, Dongkuk CM completed a new coil center in Queretaro, Mexico, in March of this year. This is the second coil center following the first coil center in Monterrey established in 2008.

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