Kolon Industries Completes Doubling Production Capacity of 'Superfiber' Aramid

Doubling Aramid Production Through Expansion at Gumi Plant
Total Annual Capacity Secured at 15,310 Tons
Full-Scale Sales Scheduled from Early Next Year

Kolon Industries has successfully completed the expansion to double the production capacity of 'Aramid,' known as a super fiber, and plans to proceed with production and sales.

Kolon Industries announced on the 20th that it has completed the expansion of Aramid (product name Heracron) production facilities with an annual capacity of 7,810 tons by investing 298.9 billion KRW in its Gumi plant. Since starting the first mass production in Korea in 2005, the company has secured a total production capacity of 15,310 tons over 18 years. This corresponds to the largest production volume in the domestic market.

Currently, the production process is being further advanced through trial operations, and the expanded volume is expected to be sold in earnest from early next year.

Aramid is a next-generation new material known as a "super fiber," with strength more than five times that of steel of the same weight and capable of withstanding high temperatures above 500 degrees Celsius. It is used as a core material in various advanced fields such as ▲ bulletproof vests ▲ optical cables ▲ electric vehicle tires ▲ brake pads.

This Aramid expansion facility implemented a next-generation smart factory by integrating advanced ICT technology. By introducing a real-time monitoring system, a uniform quality control system across polymerization and the entire production process was established. In particular, the 100% unmanned automatic packaging process is expected to increase productivity and reduce the risk of safety accidents.

Moreover, eco-friendly technologies were applied throughout. First, the fuel for operating the facilities was shifted from conventional fossil fuels to mixed combustion with biogas to reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, the wastewater generated is chemically treated and reused at a rate of over 35%, and pollution reduction facilities such as air pollutant recovery equipment were introduced to establish an environmentally friendly workplace.

Kim Young-beom, CEO of Kolon Industries, said, "We are pleased to have completed the Aramid expansion as scheduled within the year despite the difficult external environment," adding, "We will strengthen both the profitability and quality competitiveness of Aramid by expanding production capacity and building a high value-added product portfolio."

Meanwhile, Kolon Industries announced an expansion plan in May to double the production volume from 1,500 tons to 3,000 tons in response to the increasing demand for Aramid pulp ahead of the implementation of EURO7 vehicle emission regulations, and the expansion is expected to be completed in the second half of next year.

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