Dongwon Systems Builds 'Smart Factory' at Asan Plant

Dongwon Systems Asan Plant Secondary Battery Aluminum Cathode Foil Production Site

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Comprehensive packaging company Dongwon Systems announced on the 16th that it will establish a Smart Factory at its aluminum production plant for secondary batteries located in Asan, Chungnam, by December.

Dongwon Systems is Korea's leading comprehensive packaging company producing packaging materials for consumer goods including food, cosmetics, daily necessities, and electronic devices. It manufactures flexible packaging, aluminum, cans, bottles, paper, and industrial films.

Dongwon Systems is accelerating digital transformation by establishing Smart Factories at seven of its twelve domestic production plants, including the Asan plant that produces aluminum for secondary batteries.

To this end, since May this year, Dongwon Systems plans to build a Smart Factory at the Asan plant producing aluminum for secondary batteries, based on Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Warehouse Management System (WMS). The Asan plant produces various types of aluminum, from aluminum for secondary batteries to aluminum for electrical and electronic uses.

Through the Smart Factory construction at the Asan plant, Dongwon Systems expects productivity to improve by more than 30% by digitizing all production processes from aluminum raw material input to manufacturing and quality control. Additionally, by establishing foundational facilities to introduce Smart Factory technologies incorporating core technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), and by implementing a real-time logistics information analysis system for inbound/outbound, storage, and inventory management, logistics management efficiency is expected to increase.

The Smart Factory construction was undertaken by the IT headquarters of Dongwon Enterprises, the holding company of Dongwon Group. Since 2019, Dongwon Enterprises IT headquarters has been building Smart Factories at 15 Dongwon Group affiliates, including Dongwon Home Food's Chungju plant producing seasoning products, Dongwon Industries, Dongwon F&B, and Dongwon Systems.

Meanwhile, Smart Factories are gaining attention as a future growth engine that can enhance the competitiveness of the domestic manufacturing industry in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. According to market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global Smart Factory market is expected to grow to approximately 244 trillion KRW by 2024, with the domestic market reaching about 17 trillion KRW.

A Dongwon Systems official said, “Digital transformation to prepare for the ‘post-COVID’ era is rapidly progressing in domestic manufacturing sites,” adding, “We will further advance the Smart Factory to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness as a cutting-edge comprehensive materials company.”