Samsung is working with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Korea Federation of SMEs, and 2,500 small to medium-sized businesses to offer support in building smart factories. (image: Samsung Electronics)
SEOUL, April 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Small and medium-sized businesses that overcame the coronavirus crisis with help from Samsung Electronics Co. are now making donations to fight the global pandemic.
Businesses participating in the smart factory project led by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Korea Federation of SMEs, and Samsung are stepping forward to make a series of donations.
NJ Company, a maker of eco-friendly hand sanitizer in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, donated 10,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, worth 50 million won (US$41,000), to the Korea Federation of SMEs last month despite soaring demand.
Last year, NJ was on the verge of a shutdown with two employees making five tons of hand sanitizer every month, before the South Korea’s top electronics maker offered support to build a smart factory.
As a result, the company was able to process all orders and raise production capacity to 200 tons per month.
Otos Wing Co., a producer of safety goggles, donated 5,000 pairs of goggles to the National Fire Agency as well as another 500 pairs and 50 million won to the city of Daegu, once considered the country’s epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, Otos Wing was considering moving to Southeast Asia due to a serious management crisis before the company was saved by the smart factory project.
Company officials recently met with their mentors from Samsung Electronics once again after the Ministry of Health and Welfare asked the company to deliver a large order of goggles last month.
Since then, the company’s output has increased from 30,000 to 260,000 pairs of protective eyewear per month.
Hwajin Industry Co., a protective mask producer also supported by mentors from Samsung, donated 1 million masks to Public Home Shopping in February, as well as another 11,000 masks to Gwangju city hall, South Jeolla Provincial Headquarters, and the city of Naju.
The company also created a video documenting improved production with Samsung’s help to share with other mask producers.
Samsung is working with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Korea Federation of SMEs, and 2,500 small to medium-sized businesses to offer support in building smart factories.
Samsung and the government have each been spending 10 billion won (US$8.2 million) every year on the project since 2018.
Samsung plans to throw in another 10 billion won and deploy 200 experts on manufacturing to discover buyers, promote products globally, and offer education programs.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
