Labor Shortage Due to Reduction of Foreign Workers... Increased Need for Investment in Mechanization and Automation
[Yeongam=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-kyung] Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries has launched a dedicated team focusing on mechanization and automation to resolve labor shortages.
On the afternoon of the 19th, Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries held an opening ceremony for the Automation Innovation Center at the company headquarters, attended by about 30 internal and external stakeholders, including CEO Kim Hyung-kwan.
The Automation Innovation Center is an in-house department-level organization composed of about 20 members, integrating production technology-related teams that were previously scattered throughout the company.
This organization aims to fundamentally overcome difficulties in labor supply by establishing a production system based on non-skilled workers through the application of advanced mechanization, automation technologies, and commercialized new technologies on site.
In particular, by rapidly adopting production technologies and commercial technologies developed by the Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Future Technology Institute and settling them on site, it plans to serve as a key link between future technologies and industrial sites, contributing to creating an easier and safer workplace.
Additionally, it will proactively participate in national projects and industry-academia projects based in the region and strengthen technical support for internal and external partner companies.
Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries CEO Kim Hyung-kwan emphasized, "The recent labor shortage is likely to show a structural trend," and added, "We must increase investment in mechanization and automation to alleviate the labor shortage."
Meanwhile, Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries has secured stable work volume for more than two and a half years by achieving total orders of 30 vessels worth approximately 5.2 billion USD this year (115% of the 2022 target).
However, concerns over handling work volume are deepening due to labor shortages caused by a decrease in school-age population and shipbuilding workforce, avoidance of 3D jobs, and reduced inflow of foreign workers due to COVID-19.
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