Defense Korea, a subsidiary of SonyD, a KOSDAQ-listed company, announced on the 8th that it has signed a Partnership Agreement with PIAP, the robotics division under the Polish state research institute.
The two companies plan to closely cooperate in future participation in Korean national projects. They also intend to jointly apply for international cooperation R&D projects by the Korean government to expand robot business collaboration between Korea and Poland.
The most notable aspect of this agreement is the establishment of a production base in Korea. This is expected to enable ▲reduction of production costs ▲rapid response to domestic market demands ▲business expansion to the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
In particular, the two parties agreed to establish a joint R&D and production system upon request from the Korean government and institutions. Through this, some mechanical parts or accessories of PIAP robots, such as batteries, can be produced in Korea, promoting the localization of robot technology.
Defense Korea secured robot parts production facilities at the Siheung Maehwa Industrial Complex Knowledge Industry Center last June with technical support from PIAP. Currently, CNC machining center equipment is in operation, and there are plans to reinforce the facilities to locally procure parts necessary for future Korean national projects.
They will also activate sales in Asian regions outside Korea. Defense Korea opened a robot showroom in Gangnam last year and held supply consultations with military attach?s and company officials from various Asian countries including Saudi Arabia, Japan, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Following this agreement, the two companies will discuss additional cooperation plans to boost sales activities.
Technical support for PIAP robots delivered to the Korean Ministry of National Defense will also be strengthened. Defense Korea signed a technical agreement with PIAP in 2021 and has been responsible for the distribution and maintenance of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robots. As the scale of PIAP robot deliveries in Korea is expected to increase, strengthening the technical support sector is necessary.
The two companies are currently discussing a joint R&D project for the development of special batteries for robots. For these special robot batteries, minimizing power consumption to enable all-day operation on a single charge is crucial. Defense Korea plans to improve robot battery technology in close collaboration with a domestic battery pack company. Additionally, they are considering supply plans to PIAP’s European factory by cooperating with Korean companies possessing excellent technology. This will serve as an opportunity to introduce Korea’s outstanding robot technology to Europe.
A Defense Korea official stated, "Since last year until the time of signing this agreement, the two companies have been striving to expand their business through securing showrooms and production facilities. Starting from this agreement, we will further enhance competitiveness by strengthening distribution business in Korea and Asia as well as establishing joint development and production systems.”
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