Chungcheongnam-do

In the J. D. Power's annual quality evaluations of new cars in 2006, Hyundai Motors ranked at third for its brand image. Such an inspiring result would not have been possible if the automaker, along with other Korean automakers, had not announced the quality-oriented management plan and started to ask its parts suppliers to apply the same approach toward their quality and technology years earlier. Both Hyundai and Kia Motors have adopted the Five Star System with which to evaluate their parts suppliers in terms of quality and technology. In the history of the Five Star System, there is only one company that claims the highest grade in all the evaluation areas and has its technological power recognized by the two car makers. The Korea Auto Glass (CEO Ju Won-shik) is the star player.

The Company was Born between the Best Glassmakers in Korea and Japan
Currently located in the industrial complex in Jeonui-myeon, Yeongi-gun, Chungnam Province, Korea Auto Glass (KAC) was founded by the KCC Corporation of Korea and Asahi Glass (AGC) of Japan, both of which had enjoyed the world-wide reputation as the best glassmakers of 2000. Armed with enormous production facilities and equipments, KAC manufactures 3.20 million units annually. In addition, its production capacity as a glassmaking plantis the highest in the world. Since its foundation, KAC has made active and clever use of the technological advancements of AGC and its own very able sales personnel, thus leading the world's glass market.
“There is a close relationship between the growth of the automobile industry and the development of safe glass,” explained Ju Won-shik, CEO of KAC. “With the increasing expectations for cars from the consumers, a variety of functional glass has been developed on an ongoing manner. Our company has made efforts to meet the needs of the consumers by developing safe and multi-functional products.” He attributed KAC's current competitive edge to its bold introductions of new technologies and its production of highly-functional glass products.

Safe Glass is the Standard. Highly Functional Products are Needed to Meet the Diverse Needs of Customers
The products that KAC has developed and marketed have been applied to a wide range of car models and have received wonderful feedback.
Laminated side door glass was first introduced in the market in the 1920s and has recently made a comeback with flying colors. It's been the practice to use laminated glass, with a thin film inserted between two pieces of glass and doesn't shoot out shards or have holes when there is an impact, only for a windshield. In recent years, car makers have applied laminated glass to side door windows as well in order to prevent theft targeting the upscale features inside the car. Laminated side door glass not only prevents potential theft, but also absorbs noise and blocks ultraviolet rays.
At KAC, they have introduced the world's first continuous process to manufacture laminated glass. As the process displays many advantages such as no inventory in the process and quick feedback responses, other companies in glassmaking are trying to benchmark it. Another impressive technological advancement at KAC is a high-tech technique removing air between two pieces of glass, reducing the strain on the glass to the minimum.
Tempered glass is much more shock resistant and won't break easily. Its quality depends on the molding method adopted, which varies according to the characteristics of the equipment. KAC runs state-of-the-art molding equipment designed and built to satisfy diverse the needs of its clients.
New functional safety glass has the outer surface coated with fluorine sealant and is water repellent. The water repellent coating decreases the surface energy of glass, which is why raindrops turn into tiny water beads upon hitting the glass and roll straight down.
Moreover, printed antenna glass has a built-in antenna, removing the inconvenience involved with antennas, and increasing the reception of radio waves. In addition to those products, KAC boasts a wide range of functional glass products including solar control glass and soundproof glass.


Being Recognized by the World for its Technological Advancements, KAC Continues to Challenge New Ground for the Future
At KAC, most product inspection is done by the automated systems, which guarantee safe operation and high quality control. Its various inspection systems include the automated gap inspection system, which examines how well its products are mounted onto a car, the zebraboard system, which examines the subtle reflective feature of the glass surface, and the automatic optical inspection system for thew in shield, which checks the optical features of the outside vision from the windshield.
In addition to these inspection systems, KAC also runs the automated mark inspection system, which checks for abnormalities in the marks printed on glass, and the automated heat ray inspection system, which examines for heat rays functioning poorly. These diverse automated inspection systems guarantee the delivery of perfect products with no defects and abnormalities. What's more remarkable about KAC is that it is devoted to environment-friendly approaches such as recycling all broken glass, process water, and waste materials.
KAC has already surpassed Asahi Glass of Japan in terms of quality and productivity but has no intention to rest on its laurels with its current accomplishments. In preparation for the improving technology and low-price policies of the Chinese glassmakers, it focuses on cutting down cost prices, investing in automated facilities, and maximizing the efficiency of the flow. Its ultimate goals are to become the world's best automobile glass manufacturer and to obtain its own differentiated competitive edge that no other competition can match.

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An Interview with Ju Won-shik, CEO of KAC

"A lot of industrial water is used to make glass, which means that water quality is extremely vital," said Ju Won-shik, CEO of Korea Auto Glass. "They provide high quality water in the Jeonui Industrial Complex where our company is located. That's one of the basic key components of our high quality products." According to him, Yeongi-gun, Chungnam is the ideal place for glassmaking. Demonstrating his strong determination to give his all in order to beat Chinese rival companies in the price war, he mentioned that the company-wide support for R&D, investment, and incentives would continue in the future. He wrapped up the interview by saying, "I believe that our efforts to create a cooperative atmosphere at work such as maintaining trust between labor and management and making the work more rewarding have resulted in quality improvement and cost price reduction. I see a bright future ahead for KAC."