Renew: "An Eco-Friendly Solution Company Reviving What Was Once Lost"
Achieving '100% Complete Waterproofing' with Non-Curing Waterproof Gel Turbo Seal
Infinite Recycling of Waste Plastic... 'Carbon Reduction Effect'
"Sinkhole accidents are not someone else's problem. If they continue, they will become your own problem."
Jongyong Lee, CEO of the global waterproofing specialist company Renew System, stated, "Ground subsidence caused by underground voids and concrete deterioration due to water leakage can lead to disaster-level accidents." He made this comment while referring to the sinkhole incident at Daemyeong Elementary School intersection in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, in March, where a man in his 30s riding a motorcycle lost his life. At the time, the extension construction of Seoul Subway Line 9 and water leakage inside the tunnel were cited as some of the causes of the accident.
Lee's entry into the waterproofing business is also related to the collapse accidents of Sampoong Department Store and Seongsu Bridge in the mid-1990s, where water leakage issues were raised. He compares water leakage to "cancer of concrete." He explained, "The company name, RENEW, also means 'revival,' as in the dictionary definition, signifying bringing something dying back to life." On the afternoon of the 22nd, at the Renew System Yeoju Campus in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, Lee introduced the company's vision.
Jongyong Lee, CEO of Renew System, is explaining the Turbo Sheet product, a composite waterproof sheet, at the '2025 2nd InnoBiz PR-day' held on the 22nd. InnoBiz Association
Water leakage is not a mere inconvenience, but a social disaster
Lee expressed concern that, due to aging domestic infrastructure, insufficient water leakage prevention, and the construction of the GTX line, the sinkhole problem will become more serious in the future. He specifically pointed out that indiscriminate groundwater pumping at domestic underground construction sites and facilities is a major cause of weakened ground support. He also claimed that the annual amount of groundwater pumped out reaches 16 million tons, which is 60% of the storage capacity of the Paldang Dam. He emphasized, "Groundwater is not something to be pumped out, but a resource that supports the ground," and added, "We should only block water that seeps in through cracks in the concrete."
From this awareness of the problem, the company developed "Turbo Seal" in 1999 after its founding. Turbo Seal is a non-curing, highly adhesive gel-type waterproofing material that overcomes the limitations of conventional "adhesive curing" waterproofing agents. Curing-type waterproofing materials harden after application to the surface, so when the structure moves or cracks appear, they split and break. Through these gaps, external water or groundwater can penetrate, seeping into concrete cracks and causing leaks. Turbo Seal, due to its sticky gel properties, does not harden, making it applicable even to wet or heterogeneous surfaces. It flexibly responds to structural movement and temperature changes (from -40 to 60 degrees Celsius), maintaining a semi-permanent waterproof layer.
Image showing turbo seal attachment status, adhesive self-adhesiveness, and behavior responsiveness. Renew System
Renew System has also developed "Turbo Sheet (GTR 3000)," which is made by polymerizing waste resources with asphalt. This product has been designated as an Excellent Product by the Public Procurement Service and as a Disaster Safety New Technology by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The "Polyas Method," which combines Turbo Seal and Turbo Sheet, has been recognized as a New Technology by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Lee emphasized, "Turbo Seal was selected as one of Korea's Top 10 Technologies by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2013, together with companies like Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. It is the only product in Korea that officially uses the phrase '100% complete waterproofing,' and there has been no controversy over exaggerated advertising even overseas."
The '100% Complete Waterproofing' Method Recognized Domestically and Internationally
Renew System's technological prowess goes beyond waterproofing material development. The "waterproofing layer reconstruction method," which restores damaged waterproofing layers without destroying the existing layer, has been recognized for its innovation as a Disaster Safety New Technology and designated as an ISO international standard. Lee explained, "The conventional method involves breaking the concrete and reapplying waterproofing when the layer is damaged. However, our 'self-healing waterproofing technology' solves the problem by drilling holes in the concrete, injecting Turbo Seal, and creating a new waterproofing layer."
The representative case of this method is the "Big Dig" project in Boston, USA. The Big Dig is an underground highway network spanning 26 km with 8 to 10 lanes, connecting the outskirts and downtown of Boston. During construction, severe water leakage problems occurred. Lee traveled to the United States to resolve the issue himself, leaving a strong impression on the local supervisor, which paved the way for entering the US market. He also tackled the water leakage problem at Incheon International Airport, which was reported daily by the media in the 2000s. Based on these waterproofing technologies, Renew System has accumulated over 200,000 domestic cases and more than 2,500 projects in 29 countries overseas.
Infinite Recycling of Waste Plastic through Depolymerization Technology
In addition to its advanced waterproofing material business, Renew System is also attracting attention for its chemical recycling of waste plastic. This method chemically decomposes waste plastic and returns it to its raw material state. To this end, the company operates a depolymerization plant in Wonju, Gangwon Province. This depolymerization technology is evaluated as an innovative technology that can completely decompose plastic waste, which does not break down for hundreds of years, enabling infinite recycling.
Traditional methods such as pyrolysis or physical recycling had limitations due to high energy consumption and explosion risks from high-temperature, high-pressure processes, as well as degradation of material properties. In contrast, Renew System's depolymerization technology returns waste plastic to raw material at low temperature, low pressure, and atmospheric pressure, demonstrating a 30% reduction in carbon emissions compared to petrochemical raw materials. Currently, proposals for collaboration are being received from global brands such as Nike and Zara.
Lee stated that the core of his management philosophy is to go beyond simple product sales and aim to solve social problems. The common keyword for both waterproofing materials and recycling technology is "eco-friendly." He emphasized, "Turbo Seal is a waterproofing material that recycles more than 30% of waste resources such as waste rubber and waste oil," and added, "Also, if polyester clothing is chemically recycled, carbon emissions can be reduced by more than 70% compared to landfill, which is advantageous for carbon trading."
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