[Report] Perfectly Fried Eggs Without Oil... The Secret of a Pan That Undergoes 39 Steps

Visiting Happycall Gimhae Factory, Renowned for Double-Sided Frying Pans
Undergoes 5 Frying, 6 Coatings, 8 Ultra-Pure Distilled Water Washes
Extreme Test of 10,000 Sandpaper Scratches, Even Supports 10-Year-Old Product AS

Frying pans that have completed coating and firing move along the production line at the Happy Call factory in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. Photo by Kim Heeyoon

[Gyeongnam Gimhae=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] “The frying pan is completed after going through a total of 39 steps, including 5 firings and 6 coatings.”

Frying pans baked in a hot kiln move in a line to the coating line. While traditional pottery production involves firing only three times, Happycall frying pans must undergo 5 firings and 6 rounds of internal and external coatings before reaching consumers. On the 7th, at the Happycall factory production line in Gimhae, Gyeongnam, Quality Control Director Yoo Jaeseon explained, “The forging process that creates a solid exterior and the meticulous coating treatment are the core of our frying pan manufacturing process,” adding, “Maintaining a smooth surface and long-lasting coating is essential to making the best frying pan.”

Forging, Cleaning, and Coating Technologies Are Key to Frying Pan Quality

The manufacturing process begins by shaping the frying pan form using a 1000~5000-ton press on aluminum mold blanks received from partners. Then, after sanding and cleaning, repeated coating and firing complete the frying pan. Notably, washing and drying are repeated at each major step to prepare for coating. Director Yoo emphasized, “Completely removing foreign substances from the frying pan at each stage is crucial to improving coating quality,” and added, “We wash with ultrapure distilled water eight times and use premium coating agents, which is the secret to our quality.”

The coating process has been accelerated by the implementation of the first phase of a smart factory, but many steps still require human touch. In particular, the chamfering process, where sharp edges are smoothed by machine, is handled by veteran employees with artisan-level skills. In the adjacent home appliance building, Happycall’s flagship product, the high-speed blender, is assembled on a cell line where one person assembles an entire product, enhancing work specialization.

Following the “chiiiiik” sound and a savory aroma leads to the kitchen operated by the quality control team. To test the smooth surface of the frying pans, the staff repeatedly fry eggs, checking whether eggs stick without oil. Typically, 200 eggs are used per product. Opposite the kitchen, in the laboratory, workers are busy scraping the frying pan surface with sandpaper. They test coating durability by scraping the surface 10,000 times with a 6kg load; on this day, even after nearly 7,000 cycles, the star pattern on the surface remained clear. Quality Control Team Manager Kim Seonghoon explained, “The star print is applied on the fifth coating, and the sixth coating is applied over it. The clear pattern means the final coating is still intact.”

Director Yoo Jae-sun of Happycall, who oversees quality control, said, "Even 10 years ago, there were customers who occasionally requested paid after-sales service (AS) claiming that the model's coating had peeled off. We considered this as a sign of trust in our brand and sometimes removed the old coating entirely, reapplied a new coating, and sent the product back as if it were new." He smiled and added, "The AS cost was probably similar to the price of buying a new one, but they insisted on repairs." Photo by Happycall

Even 10-Year-Old Models Receive AS... Extreme 10,000-Time Tests Capture Various Variables

Strict quality control has led to improved frying pan durability. When products with coating peeled off come in for customer AS (after-service), all possible causes of defects that could occur in kitchens are studied and applied to product development. Manager Kim said, “We simulate conditions such as using strong acidic or alkaline detergents in dishwashers or scrubbing with steel wool that cause peeling, find the causes, and refer to them in product development.” Various efforts are also made to maintain customer trust in the coating. Director Yoo said, “Sometimes customers request paid AS for peeling coatings on models from 10 years ago. We consider this a sign of trust in our brand and have stripped the old coating completely and reapplied it to send back as a new product,” adding with a smile, “The AS cost was probably close to buying a new one, but customers insisted on repair.”

Founded in 1999, Happycall grew into a powerhouse in the kitchenware industry by introducing the world’s first double-sided frying pan. Expanding its product lineup with non-stick diamond frying pans and high-speed blenders, it recorded sales of 200 billion won in 2016, establishing itself as a leading kitchen company. However, market saturation and the entry of overseas kitchen companies led to a crisis, with sales plummeting to 109.1 billion won in 2019. After CEO Park Soyeon took office in 2019, Happycall improved its distribution structure, which had been heavily reliant on home shopping, increased online sales proportion, and improved its business structure, raising sales back to 120 billion won last year.

Challenging the rapidly growing small home appliance market fueled by the stay-at-home culture due to COVID-19 and the increase in single-person households, Happycall plans to focus on quality improvement this year. Director Yoo stated, “We plan to apply a virtuous cycle process by thoroughly analyzing consumer responses to the Odd series, including the Flex Pan, small induction cookers, and electric kettles, which received positive feedback from the MZ generation last year, and reflecting the comprehensive opinions back into the products,” adding, “By introducing smart factories, we will increase production efficiency, reduce costs, and practice customer-centric management by passing the benefits on to customers.”