Design Promotion Institute's 'Design Workforce Support Project'
Helping Small Manufacturers with Limited Capital
Purium Product Sales Tripled to 2 Billion KRW
Studio Alive, Website Revamp Underway
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] # The R&D specialized company ‘Purium’ has developed a large air purifier that removes fine dust and harmful substances entering indoors. Due to the spread of COVID-19, market demand for Purium (both the company name and product name) has greatly increased. They have planned to commercialize it beyond simple indoor air purification functions to the level of smart home appliances. However, relying on external firms for design work made it difficult to lead designs that keep pace with the product’s technological advancements. After much consideration, Purium applied for the Korea Institute of Design Promotion’s ‘Design Workforce Support Project.’ Through design improvements, the product was reborn more luxuriously and beautifully, not only by reducing weight but also enhancing the interior visible during delivery and installation. The product sales, which were about 727 million KRW in 2019, nearly tripled to 2 billion KRW as of last September.
There is a government project that helps companies struggling to find suitable design professionals. It is the Design Workforce Support Project led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Institute of Design Promotion. This project connects designers to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized companies with high growth potential when investing in design, subsidizing 50% of labor costs. From 2013 to last year, a total of 339 companies were supported, and 74% (245 people) of all supported designers were hired as regular employees.
A designer employed through this project at the pet product manufacturing company ‘Studio Alive’ focused on renewing the company’s website last year. They revamped the web pages with a clean and simple concept. Huh Young-dan, CEO of Studio Alive, said, "Small companies without capital flexibility find it difficult to spend on design, so even if they have excellent competitiveness, they do not receive enough attention. The Design Workforce Support Project offers small manufacturers a chance to overcome these issues and hire talented designers."
This year, the Korea Institute of Design Promotion is also conducting the ‘Design Workforce Support Project,’ recruiting participating companies until the 26th of this month and participating personnel until the 23rd of next month. It will connect one designer per company to 80 SMEs, mid-sized companies, and startups in the manufacturing industry. The project period runs until December this year. The appropriateness is reviewed by comprehensively evaluating the design utilization plans of applicant companies, followed by a final selection through a review committee. Design innovation companies and companies selected for excellent design products receive additional points.
The Design Promotion Institute plans to provide management education to raise awareness of design utilization, protect designers’ rights, and offer training and consulting to strengthen practical capabilities for companies participating in this project.
Meanwhile, the Design Promotion Institute is also promoting the ‘Design Innovation Company Development Project,’ which discovers promising SMEs and mid-sized companies and supports design development, consulting, and market expansion. From 2017 to last year, it has supported a total of about 150 companies to utilize design as an innovation strategy throughout management.
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