Gumi City Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Toray Advanced Materials IT Film and Aramid Facilities

Eco-friendly Material Company Toray, Gumi Industrial Complex as Asia Investment Hub

Toray Advanced Materials (CEO Kim Young-seop) held a groundbreaking ceremony on the 23rd at its Gumi Plant 5 for IT Film Lines 13 and 14 and Aramid Line 2.

Toray Advanced Materials held a groundbreaking ceremony on the 23rd at the Gumi Plant No. 5 for the expansion of IT film and aramid fiber production facilities. (From the fourth person from the left) Kim Jang-ho, Mayor of Gumi; Oscar Tsuyoshi, Consul General of Japan in Busan; Yoo Beop-min, Director of Investment Policy Bureau, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Koichi Mizushima, Ambassador of Japan to Korea; Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province; Akihiro Nikkaku, Chairman of Toray; Lee Young-kwan, Chairman of Toray Advanced Materials; Kim Young-seop, President of Toray Advanced Materials)

The ceremony was attended by about 150 people, including Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province; Yoo Beop-min, Director of Investment Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Kim Jang-ho, Mayor of Gumi; Park Gyo-sang, Chairman of the Gumi City Council; Akihiro Nikkaku, Chairman of the Toray Group; Lee Young-kwan, Chairman of Toray Advanced Materials; Koichi Mizushima, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Korea; Tsuyoshi Osuka, Consul General of Japan in Busan; provincial and city council members; and executives and employees of Toray Advanced Materials.

Toray Advanced Materials held the groundbreaking ceremony to produce IT Film Lines 13 and 14 at Gumi Plant 5 and Aramid Fiber Line 2 at Gumi Plant 1.

The IT film production line will manufacture MLCC release films, whose demand is continuously increasing, and plans to actively respond to the expanding demand based on advanced quality, technology, and stable supply capabilities. The aramid fiber, which applies the dry spinning method for the second time in the world, offers uniform quality and high heat resistance, making it a super fiber suitable for high-performance heat-resistant clothing, electric vehicles, and ultra-high voltage transformers.

Currently, the company leads the development of the domestic and international carbon fiber industry and the concurrent growth of upstream and downstream industries based on an annual carbon fiber supply capacity of 4,700 tons. In addition to carbon fiber, it produces polyester film, IT film, water treatment filters, spunbond nonwoven fabric, cotton and yarn, and aramid fiber. As a representative foreign-invested company in Korea, it operates five factories in the Gumi Industrial Complex, employing about 1,800 employees, significantly contributing to local job creation.

The parent company, Toray, is a global advanced materials and components company with about 49,000 employees in 29 countries worldwide, including Japan and Korea, and annual sales of approximately 25 trillion KRW.

On May 22 this year, Toray Advanced Materials signed an MOU for an investment worth about 500 billion KRW at the Conrad Hotel in Seoul, attended by Minister An Deok-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk Province, and Toray President Oya Mitsuo.

In October 2023, Toray Advanced Materials expanded its carbon fiber production by breaking ground for Carbon Fiber Line 3 in Gumi, solidifying its position as a carbon fiber manufacturer and greatly contributing to the revitalization of the local economy. Moreover, since last year, it has held company-wide flocking events, setting an example as a foreign-invested company for regional harmony and coexistence.

Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “Global company Toray is building an advanced materials industry ecosystem centered on Gumi, including IT film, aramid fiber, and separators. We will actively support greater growth in advanced industries.”

Kim Jang-ho, Mayor of Gumi, remarked, “The groundbreaking ceremony for Toray Advanced Materials’ IT Film Lines 13 and 14 and Aramid Line is an excellent example of a foreign-invested company preparing for a new era together with the region,” emphasizing the significance of investment in Gumi.