SKC

● A two-track approach of “establishing the ecosystem of the materials industry” and “supporting local SMEs“; SKC also considers expanding its support for other regions

SKC (CEO Lee Wan-jae), which has been leading the "open platform based on new material technology," will expand the scope of cooperation to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the local community. Previously, cooperation was focused on startups and ventures in the materials industry, but the company decided to expand the range of partners to any SMEs in Jincheon regardless of field. This is intended to cooperate with local businesses and increase social value by revitalizing the regional economy through shared infrastructure.

On April 15, SKC signed an “MoU for expanding the open platform based on new material technology in the local community” with Jincheon-gun and the Jincheon Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) at Woosuk University in Jincheon gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. Under this MoU, the three parties agreed to ▲establish an ecosystem to support SMEs, startups, and ventures in Jincheon, ▲find common needs to enhance R&D capacity, and build an information sharing system.

When Jincheon KCCI (Chairman Yang Geun-sik) discovers outstanding SMEs in Jincheon, nine organizations including SKC that participate in the open platform based on new material technology will provide support using their expertise. SKC will provide its R&D facilities and know-how as well as share intangible infrastructure that is needed for management. Jincheon-gun (Mayor Song Gi-sub) will provide assistance through the government’s support program for SMEs.

The first batch of selected businesses that will receive support includes 12 SMEs who were recommended by Jincheon KCCI after an application process. The main businesses of these companies are diverse, ranging from bolts and adhesives to engineering plastics and building materials. They mostly seek cooperation in safe work environments, patents, quality management, product analysis, and the utilization of R&D facilities. SKC will identify their requests for cooperation in detail and provide support together with other organizations participating in the new material technology-based open platform from the end of April.

An SKC official said, "This MoU is an expansion of the open platform based on new material technology in an effort to increase social values, which is an important mission pursued by SK Group. We will not only strengthen the ecosystem of the material industry through Startup Plus, a new material technology contest, but also cooperate with SMEs in the region by actively sharing our capabilities so that they can grow with enhanced competitiveness.”

With aims to support the commercialization of ventures and startups as well as establish a healthy ecosystem for the materials industry, SKC set up the “open platform based on new material technology” in 2017 in partnership with the Ulsan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation, Ulsan Technopark, Sunbo Angel Partners, the University of Ulsan, and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. In February of this year, the Office of Strategic R&D Planning, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, and accounting firm Deloitte Anjin joined the open platform, enabling to build a more robust support system and expanding beneficiaries to SMEs in the materials industry. [End]

[On April 15, SKC signed an “MoU for expanding the open platform based on new material technology in the local community” with Jincheon-gun and the Jincheon Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry at Woosuk University in Jincheon gun, Chungcheongbuk-do and extended the range of partners to local SMEs. The signing ceremony was attended by Roh Young-ju, Head of SKC DBL Promotion Office (fourth from right), Jincheon Mayor Song Gi-sub (sixth from right), and Chairman Yang Geun-sik of the Jincheon Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry (eighth from right).]