SKC records KRW 3.14 trillion in sales in 2022, marking a year-on-year increase of 39%.
●Despite deteriorating internal and external business conditions, both annual sales and operating income increased in rechargeable battery and semiconductor materials businesses.●SKC’s Global Story takes off as its copper foil plant in Malaysia and glass substrate plant in the U.S. get completed this year.●ESG management is reinforced through the first Carbon Footprint certification in the copper foil industry and winning the Coexistence Ball of the Month awarded by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.SKC (CEO & President: Woncheol Park) recorded KRW 3.14 trillion in sales in 2022, marking a year-on-year increase of 38.6%, and continued its growth. Despite deteriorating internal and external business conditions, both the annual sales and operating income increased for future growth businesses such as rechargeable battery materials and semiconductor materials compared to 2021. A total operating income of KRW 220.3 billion was reported for 2022.On February 6, SKC announced the above 2022 earnings report at the Jongno-gu SKC head office in the presence of key executives including CEO Jaehong Lee of SK nexilis, CEO Euijoon Lim of SK picglobal, CEO of SK pucore and SKC’s CFO Duhwan Choi, CEO Jongwoo Kim of SK enpulse, CEO Jun-rok Oh of Absolics, and the Head of Business Development Division Junghwan Shin. The earnings report was also live-streamed on YouTube.The rechargeable battery materials business, led by SK nexilis which is a copper foil business subsidiary invested by SKC recorded KRW 810.1 billion in sales and KRW 98.6 billion in operating income last year. Both the sales and operating income increased year-on-year thanks to the operation of Jeongeup Plant 6 equipped with the latest smart factory facilities and the business is continuing to grow. SK nexilis will complete the construction of its Malaysian plant this year and expand mid- to long-term supply contracts with global battery manufacturers to further increase its presence and profitability.The chemical business led by SK picglobal and SK pucore recorded KRW 1.7 trillion in sales and KRW 140.9 billion in operating income in 2022. Despite the overall downturn in the chemical industry, a year-on-year increase of 54.7% in sales drove business growth. Growth is also expected to continue this year through expanded long-term supplies of high-value-added products focused on North America and Europe. Future growth engines for the chemical business are also lined up with the world’s first commercialization of a facility exclusively for the production of DPG, high-value-added and eco-friendly material, in November last year and the industry’s first official semi-noncombustible material suitability test results.The semiconductor materials business led by SK enpulse recorded KRW 598.2 billion in sales and KRW 28.8 billion last year. Both sales and profits grew together with the increased sales of high-profit products such as CMP pads despite the stagnant global semiconductor market. The proportion of high-value-added growth business products including CMP pads out of total semiconductor materials business sales increased significantly from 21% in 2021 to 36% last year. This year, SKC plans to further expand the proportion of high-value-added growth business products such as blank masks and work to carry out the construction of its semiconductor glass substrate production plant according to the plan.SKC is further enhancing ESG management as well. Last year, SKC announced a roadmap for 2040 Greenhouse Gas Net Zero, and SK nexilis was recognized for its efforts to reduce carbon emissions throughout the entire process of copper foil manufacturing as it became the first in the copper foil industry to acquire the Carbon Footprint certification. SK picglobal also achieved ZWTL (Zero Waste to Landfill) Gold level validated by UL, a global certification company. In addition, SKC won the Coexistence Ball of the Month awarded by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in recognition of its performance of cooperation with startups for coexistence through an open platform for new materials.SKC has consistently carried out activities to reinforce the independence and expertise of the board. In this regard, an outside director was appointed as the chairman of the board for the first time last year as a means to strengthen its independence. It also introduced BSM (Board Skill Matrix) to enhance the board’s capabilities. In November last year, a platform called Board Information System was built to further reinforce board-centered business management. Through this, management data control and discussions between directors and executives on pending issues are made available.An SKC executive said, “After concluding the sale of the film business last year, SKC’s Global Story will take off as its copper foil pant in Malaysia and glass substrate plant in the U.S. get completed this year,” and added, “Despite difficulties in internal and external business conditions, we will expand investment in future growth engines and continue the innovations towards a global ESG materials solution enterprise.” [End of document]
2023-02-06
SKC will showcase future innovations at CES in the fields of secondary battery, semiconductor and eco-friendly material
SKC will present
innovative products as a global ESG material solution company in the CES exhibition
hall titled Action which will be jointly run by eight SK Group affiliates.Future
growth engines such as semiconductors, glass substrates and silicon anode materials
will be displayed to the public for the first time.An
accelerated 2040 Net Zero target achievement is expected through the first-ever
carbon footprint certification in the copper foil industry for secondary batteries.
SKC
(President: Woncheol Park)
will display key future products as a
global ESG material solution company to show where the company’s innovation is
directed at CES (International Consumer Electronics Show) 2023, the world’s
largest industrial exhibition which will be held in Las Vegas, U.S. in January 5-8
(local time). Action hall visitors can expect to have an early glimpse of the innovations
that will later take place in the secondary battery, semiconductor and eco-friendly
material industries.
At
the SK Group’s exhibition hall that SKC will share with other SK Group’s seven affiliates
including SK Inc., SKC will showcase products like semiconductor glass substrate
for high-performance computing; copper foil for secondary batteries; silicon
anode materials; waste plastic recycling; and, PBAT and LIMEX, eco-friendly
alternative plastic materials. SK Group’s exhibition hall called Action (Moving
Toward a Carbon-Free Future Together) is located at the center of the Central
Hall, the main building of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC).
The
semiconductor glass substrate, being displayed to the public for the first time,
will be located at the Green Digital Solutions zone in the SK Group’s
exhibition hall. The semiconductor glass substrate is a future material which
is considered a game changer in the semiconductor packaging industry with
significantly improved data processing speed and power efficiency. SKC started
construction of a mass production facility just last month through its investee
company Absolics Inc. and is working to commercialize the product for the first
time in the world. Visitors can see for themselves the semiconductor glass
substrate with a thickness of only one-fourth of the current plastic substrates
and a smooth surface that can cope with micro-packaging.
Copper
foil for secondary batteries, which caught the attention of CES 2022 visitors
early this year, will be displayed at the Clean Mobility zone together with
silicon anode material. SK nexilis, a copper foil company in which SKC has
invested, owns super-gap technology to mass-produce the widest (1.4 meter) and
longest (77 kilometers) copper products with the world’s thinnest thickness of 4
micrometers (4μm, one-thirtieth of a hair). In addition, its excellent recipe technology
and smart factory facilitate the production of products with customized
properties in response to various demands including ultra-high-strength copper foils
and high-elongation copper foils.
Recently,
SK nexilis’ copper foil products also received the Product Carbon Footprint certification
from the Carbon Trust, a U.K. eco-friendly certification agency. The company’s efforts
to reduce carbon emissions were recognized for raw and subsidiary materials,
the entire manufacturing process and waste disposal, which further made the
product identity clear as an eco-friendly material together with super-gap technology.
Silicon
anode, with the mass-production facility construction to begin next year, will
also appear in the exhibition. Silicon anode is a material that greatly improves
battery performance by increasing charging speed and driving distance of
secondary batteries. However, the product is in an early phase of market
expansion due to an issue of volume dilatation during charging and discharging.
SKC invested in Nexeon, a British tech company, thereby securing exclusive
business rights to a new technology that combines the advantages of various
engineering methods and developed its competitive edge in the market through
further research and development. SKC plans to supply silicon anode materials,
high-elongation copper foils and high-strength copper foils grouped as a secondary
battery anode solution.
SKC’s
eco-friendly materials, biodegradable PBAT and LIMEX, will be introduced to the
public as food containers, forks and food exchange vouchers that will be used
at the Outdoor Food Truck zone to taste sustainable food in which SK Group has invested.
Through this, visitors can have a hands-on experience of the excellent
usability of SKC’s biodegradable materials. Besides, a video will be played at
the Waste to Resources zone regarding SKC’s waste plastic recycling solution that
turns plastic waste generated from daily activities into resources through
pyrolysis.
SKC’s
SV Director General (Vice
President) Yun-a Na said, “We will make
it widely known at CES 2023 SKC’s new identity as a global ESG material
solution company and that it is committed to achieving the 2040 Net Zero
targets through carbon emissions reduction,” and added, “SKC will continue the
search for and recruitment of new ESG material businesses through ongoing technology
development.”
2022-12-25
SKC unveils its future technology blueprint as a global ESG materials solution company.
● SKC held SKC Tech Day 2022 at Seoul Walkerhill Hotel on November 23 to share its future technology roadmap and new business progress.● Many super-gap and eco-friendly technologies were disclosed including AI-based optimization of copper foil properties and fiber manufacturing technology using biodegradable materials.● CEO & President Woncheol Park said in a keynote address, “We will ensure technological superiority above other players to provide differentiated products and solutions.”SKC (CEO & President Woncheol Park) held SKC Tech Day 2022 at Seoul Walkerhill Hotel on November 23 and unveiled a blueprint for future business technologies. SKC Tech Day is an event of introducing and sharing SKC’s technology roadmap and commercialization progress with the guests including analysts and institutional investors.CEO & President Woncheol Park of SKC said, “SKC will provide optimized products and solutions to its clients through global expansion and technological superiority above other players in the fields of rechargeable battery, semiconductors, and eco-friendly materials.” He continued to share the company’s business model innovation process by adding relevant technologies through M&A, R&D, and collaboration with its original technologies and also shared future expansion plans.The overwhelming, top-of-the-world technology of SKC’s copper foil business was made possible by the know-how from its existing film manufacturing and the synergy of copper foil manufacturing technology made available through the acquisition of SK nexilis. A similar approach was applied to the CMP pad business. CMP pad is a major material for front-end semiconductor processes and SKC solmics is taking the lead in the localization of CMP pads by adding related technologies through in-house R&D efforts based on an existing polyurethane synthesis technology. SKC will further expand its key technologies through intensive M&As and continuous R&D activities.At the SKC Tech Day, presentations were made by each business division and invested companies following the keynote address. SKC’s technologies introduced on the day covered its future core businesses including rechargeable batteries (copper foil, silicon anode material), semiconductors (glass substrate, CMP pad, blank mask), and eco-friendly materials (PBAT, PG, polyurethane).In the field of rechargeable battery materials, plans to strengthen technological capabilities for copper foil and silicon anode material were released. To maintain the superiority of its copper foil manufacturing technology above other players, SK nexilis will be the first in the global copper foil industry to use artificial intelligence (AI) and match the material properties with customer demand. In addition, the company is gearing up to supply products promptly according to future demand by forecasting and developing products with certain specifications and properties that are expected to be demanded by clients. The company also has nickel foil mass production technology that can be used to respond to the spread of all-solid-state batteries.SKC plans to start construction of a manufacturing facility for silicon anode material, a key material for future rechargeable batteries next year and begin full-scale commercialization. In particular, SKC invested in Nexeon, a British tech company, and was given exclusive business rights for a new technology that combines the advantages of various methods. Accordingly, the company has gained market competitiveness by drastically lowering the level of difficulty and price of processing.In the field of semiconductor materials, a technology roadmap was introduced to the audience featuring glass substrates, CMP pads, and blank masks. Absolics Inc. has recently started constructing a manufacturing facility in the U.S. and made all the preparations for mass production as it standardized more than 200 special processes for embedding passive elements such as a multilayer ceramic condenser (MLCC) on a substrate. SK solmics, which is seeking to expand its share in the markets of CMP pads and blank masks that had been dominated by foreign companies so far, announced next-generation technologies of product life extension and process error reduction that can further improve the productivity of its clients.Unveiled technologies in the field of eco-friendly materials involved the enhancement of eco-friendly features and advantages of existing businesses. For PU production, SK picglobal is using PO produced by the eco-friendly HPPO method which was commercialized for the first time in the world in 2008. Furthermore, the company plans to use recycled oil generated from waste plastic pyrolysis and introduce wastewater recycling technology based on carbon dioxide capture technology and membrane (thin film) technology.SK pucore revealed that it is working on the development of a new, biomass-based polyol following the repolyol technology that turns discarded polyurethane into its base material, polyol. SKC also disclosed a technology that spins the use of PBAT, a biodegradable plastic material, beyond the existing containers and plastic bags into highly elastic fibers.CEO & President Woncheol Park said, “We will pursue sustainable growth through daring portfolio changes and expand R&D capabilities for materials and solutions to continuously develop future businesses and secure technological superiority with an overwhelming gap,” and emphasized, “We will orient all these business activities to move forward as a global ESG materials solution company, execution based on ESG.” [End of document]
2022-11-23
SKC continues to grow, with Q3 sales rising 43% from last year
Raking
up 835B won in Q3 sales and 36.1B won in operating income ··· wrapping up the
sell-off of the film business by year-end to boost up new growth driver
businessesExcluding
SKC future materials, now up for sale, from performance data in a bid to accelerate
the transition toward a global ESG-compliant material solution providerTwo
investment vehicles named Korea’s best employers and BoD BSM adopted to bolster
up ESG management
SKC (President:
Woncheol Park) is forging ahead with volumetric growth,
posting 835 billion won in Q3 sales, 42.9% up from the same period of the
previous year and 10.5% from the immediately preceding quarter. The
rechargeable battery copper foil business that has settled in as a SKC flagship
business saw its profitability rising in the midst of persistent economic woes,
with a Q3 operating income jumping 36.4% from the same period of the previous
year. SKC plans to wrap up the sale of its film business division by year-end
to raise additional funds of about 1.6 trillion won to bolster up the new
growth driver businesses.
SKC announced the Q3
business performance data in its headquarters in Jongro-gu, Seoul on November 10,
attended by key management leaders including CEO Won Ki-don of SK picglobal,
CEO Lee Jae-hong of SK nexilis, CEO Lim Eui-joon of SK pucore, CEO Kim Jong-woo
of SK solmics, Head Choi Kap-ryong of SKC’s ESG Promotion Support, Head Choi
Doo-hwan of the Management Support Division, and Chief Shin Jeong-hwan of the
Materials Solution Center. The performance presentation conference was also
streamed live on YouTube. SKC excluded its film business division (SKC future
materials) up for sale from the business performance data of the third quarter
and onward.
The rechargeable battery
material business spearheaded by copper foil business investor SK nexilis raked
up 215 billion won in sales and 33.2 billion won in operating income, 22.6% and
36.4% up respectively from the previous year in a continuous streak of
profitability gain. The sales turnover is expected to increase even further in
Q4, given the new models to be released by EV makers and demand profile
lopsided toward year-end. SK nexilis has finalized a plan to increase investments
in North America by year-end in addition to the groundbreaking of Stalowa Wola
plant in Poland in July in a bid to accelerate the roll-out of its global
production infrastructure.
The chemical business
centered around SK picglobal and SK pucore posted 427.5 billion won in sales
and 12.5 billion won in operating income. Propylene oxide (PO) market prices
remained tepid whereas high-value propylene glycol (PG) sales increased in
North America and Europe, contributing to sustaining profitability. In Q4,
product markets are forecasted to remain sluggish in general, but the rise in
demand for PG and polyol. an ingredient for polyurethane, is expected to prop
up sales turnover.
The semiconductor
materials business led by SKC solmics posted 186.5 billion won in sales and 7.1
billion won in operating income. The blank mask which is a key input material
for the semiconductor exposure process and was certified by the customer in Q3
will soon roll into commercial production. In the fourth quarter when the
semiconductor industry is expected to stay in the doldrums, more products will
be certified in order to buttress profitability.
SKC is also beefing up its
ESG practices. SK nexilis and SKC solmics were named Korea’s best employers by
the Ministry of Employment and Labor in August. SK nexilis was named for two
years in a row and SKC solmics three times in recognition of their contribution
to job creation. In addition, SKC is trying to boost up shareholders’ value,
announcing to purchase 1,890,000 treasury shares from October this year to next
January.
Appointing an outside
director as the chair of the board of directors for the first time ever this
March in a bid to further solidify the independence of the board of directors,
SKC rolled out the senior outside director system in the second quarter and
adopted the Board Skill Matrix (BSM) in full swing in the third quarter to
empower the board of directors even more. BSM is a matrix by which factors like
the BoD configuration, competence, quality, and diversity are measured and
evaluated. SKC vows to utilize the BSM not only in evaluating the BoD
performance but also in appointing directors in the future.
“SKC will wrap up the
sale of its film business by year-end after breaking ground for the copper foil
plant and glass substrate factory in a row to rapidly invest in new growth
drivers,” said a source at SKC. “Against the challenging economic landscape,
SKC will bolster up both financial performance and ESG outcomes to press ahead
with transition to a ‘global ESG-compliant material solution provider’.” [End]
2022-11-10
SKC’s decision on treasury stock purchase to enhance shareholder value
A board of directors meeting was held on October 7 and treasury stock purchasing
was decided for 1,893,415 shares to stabilize the company’s stock price, worth approximately
KRW 166.2 billion.Efforts are being made towards
a corporate identity change into a global ESG materials solution provider. Shareholder
value enhancement will be achieved by pushing forward the new businesses to produce
results.
SKC (President & CEO: Woncheol Park) has made a decision on treasury stock
purchase to achieve enhanced shareholder value through stock price stability.
SKC held a board of directors
meeting on October 7 and voted for the purchase of 1,893,415 common shares. This
accounts for 5% of the total number of issued shares (37,868,298 shares) worth approximately
KRW 166.2 billion. SKC will follow through the purchase procedure
for 3 months from November this year to January next year by purchasing the shares
directly from the stock market.
SKC-owned treasury stock will account for 10% of the total after the purchase is
concluded.
This decision was made as
part of SKC’s efforts to enhance shareholder value. An SKC executive said, “In consideration
of SKC’s current efforts directed towards corporate identity innovation, it was
judged that the recent stock price had been undervalued relative to corporate value,”
and added, “Treasury stock purchasing was decided to contribute to stock price
stabilization and shareholder value enhancement.” In general, treasury stock
purchase has a positive effect on stabilizing the stock price in that the
number of traded shares decreases and the company shows its willingness to boost
the stock price.
SKC has been consistent in
its efforts for shareholder value enhancement so far. SKC purchased
approximately 1,880,000 treasury stocks in 2015 to enhance shareholder value.
Also, in 2019, the company introduced an electronic voting system, which
continues to be in place today, to make it more convenient for shareholders to
exercise their voting rights. This year, SKC built and launched a website to
offer dividend inquiry services for shareholders to easily look up their
dividend information from anywhere.
More fundamentally, SKC
is promoting new businesses centered around rechargeable batteries, semiconductors
and eco-friendly materials to enhance its corporate value. SKC raised investment
funds by selling the film business which was previously its mother company, and
is now actively driving forward new growth engine businesses including next-generation
silicon anode materials, glass substrates which is considered a game changer of
the semiconductor packaging market and new eco-friendly biodegradable materials.
An SKC executive said, “SKC
is having a busy year to innovate and upgrade the corporate identity of SK into
a global ESG materials solution provider and raise corporate value,” and also commented
that, “We will strive to push forward the new businesses to link them to management
performance. Based on this, we will continue to enhance shareholder value further
on.”. [End of document]
2022-10-07
SKC, in partnership with the Electronic Times to support startups in the materials industry.
MOU for the Enhancement of Open Platform for New Materials Technology to
find new outstanding startups in the materials field and start PR
collaboration. As the number of specialized platform organizations has increased to 18
in 5 years, the range of supporting areas will be expanded to reinforce the foundation
for the growth of outstanding materials companies.
SKC (President:
Woncheol Park) has partnered with the Electronic Times to enhance the
materials industry ecosystem of South Korea. Celebrating its 40th anniversary
this year, the Electronic Times has consistently been interested in the domestic
materials industry and startups, and has produced many relevant news reports.
SKC and the Electronic Times have signed an MOU for the Enhancement
of Open Platform for New Materials Technology at SKC Headquarters in Jongno-gu,
Seoul, on October 06. Through this agreement, the two companies will together support
startups and SMEs with outstanding materials technologies and contribute to strengthening
the domestic materials industry ecosystem. The signing ceremony was attended by key executives of the two companies
including President Woncheol Park of SKC and CEO, Publisher, Printer, Editor Yang
Seung-wook of the Electronic Times
SKC Open Platform for New Materials Technology is a
shared infrastructure aimed at supporting promising startups in the materials
field for their business success. SKC has been operating the Open Platform
since 2017 together with 17 specialty organizations representing each field. The
support will further be expanded as the Electronic Times joins the Open
Platform through this MOU. The Electronics Times will make efforts concentrated
on promoting startups and SMEs participating in the Open Platform, and will also
support their participation in various expos and seminars to help their
capacity building.
Each specialty organization that joins SKC’s Open
Platform for New Materials Technology brings its expertise to support the commercialization
of startups. SKC shares commercialization funding and R&D management know-how
accumulated for 45 years and Ulsan Creative Economy Innovation Center conducts business
operation training and follow-up projects. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology is in charge of commercialization
and research/planning capacity upgrades.
In addition, the Office Strategic R&D Planning is in charge
of policy training and system improvement while Deloitte Anjin LLC is in charge
of accounting advice and connection to global investment institutions. Shinhan Bank
provides financial support through technology valuation and Korea Technology
Finance Corporation carries out tech-matching required for selected companies. The
Korea Startup Forum supports startup incubation and Shin & Kim LLC offers legal
advice.
An SKC executive said, “The Electronic Times joined SKC Open
Platform for New Materials Technology as a PR specialist that will help outstanding
materials companies gain more exposure in the market that will give them a foundation
for growth,” and added, “SKC will continue to expand its collaboration with
specialty organizations to provide substantial support to participating
startups and SMEs and reinforce ESG management, seeking to grow together with the
stakeholders. [End of document]
[SKC signed an MOU with the Electronic Times at SKC
Headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul on October 11 to work in partnership with each other to enhance the materials
industry ecosystem of South Korea. President Woncheol Park of SKC (left) and
CEO Yang Seung-wook of the Electronic Times are holding the agreements.]
2022-10-06
SKC sells off its film business, heading towards a global ESG materials solutions company
SKC
concluded an agreement on June 8 with a local private equity investment firm
Hahn & Company ··· the KRW 1.6 trillion transaction to be finalized before
the yearend.Intensive
investment on business model innovation focused on rechargeable battery,
semiconductor and eco-friendliness··· driving
the transition to a new company identity.
SKC
(President: Woncheol Park) is selling off its film/processing business (hereinafter ‘film business’) to Hahn & Company, South Korea’s top-tier private
equity investment firm. SKC has been promoting business model innovation since 2016
focusing on rechargeable battery, semiconductor and eco-friendliness, and the
Company will set off a journey towards a global ESG materials solutions
business.
SKC
held a board of directors meeting on June 8 and decided to divide and sell its
film business, and, on the same day, the Company concluded a stock sale and
purchase agreement with Hahn & Company. The transaction amounts to KRW 1.6
trillion and includes the sale of SKC’s film business, SKC’s film processing
subsidiary SKC hi-tech & marketing and operations in the U.S. and China. SKC
plans to finalize required procedures including the general meeting of
shareholders and business division to have the transaction closed in Q4 this
year.
SKC’s
film business is engaged in manufacturing products used for advanced IT devices
such as displays and mobiles as well as other products for industrial use. SKC’s
film business has led the South Korean film industry and represents many
first-in-history moments including the first PET film development in 1977 and
first video tape development in 1980. In the 2000s, the business supported
industrial development by shifting its key product to films for display, and
more recent focus has been devoted to advanced products for mobile devices such
as smartphone. The business has been showing an ongoing growth, recording KRW
1.13 trillion in sales and KRW 68.9 billion in operating income last year.
SKC’s
decision to sell off the film business was made to clarify its identity as a
global ESG materials solutions company centered around rechargeable battery,
semiconductor and eco-friendliness. Although the film business is demonstrating
continuous growth in sales and operating income based on the global
competitiveness, the business is not aligned with SKC’s strategic orientation. It
was therefore determined to sell off the film business to an appropriate buyer that
will further the business growth and development.
Hahn
& Company is the largest private equity investment firm in South Korea
which controls and operates a fund worth approximately KRW 13.5 trillion. Since
the foundation in 2010, Hahn & Company has acquired 30 blue-chip companies
in South Korea to discover new growth engines and was the first to introduce a
‘bolt-on strategy’ in the domestic PE industry to successfully raise corporate
value of the acquired companies through radical reform. Hahn & Company
remained most active in business even during the COVID-19 pandemic by, for
example, closing a deal of around KRW 3 trillion, building upon responsible
business attitude and cordial investor relations. It also has plans for SKC’s
film business to further improve the global competitiveness and develop it into
a company of sustainable growth.
Taking
advantage of the financial resource made available from this deal, SKC will
invest in the business of future growth engine currently in progress as well as
new business areas to be added in the future. Through this, SKC seeks to
clarify its identity as a global ESG materials solutions company. SKC’s has
been making continued efforts to secure financial resources for growth including
a financial collaboration agreement for KRW 1.5 trillion concluded last year
with KDB Bank. Now, this KRW 1.6 trillion deal will be added to SKC’s financial
resources with which SKC can further increase shareholder value and expand
investment activities.
An
SKC executive said, “SKC will establish a business structure focused on
rechargeable battery, semiconductor and eco-friendliness to set a foundation
for Leap & Reap through intensive investment in global expansion and future
growth,” and added, “SKC will take a leap to become South Korea’s
representative global ESG materials solutions company.” [End of document]
2022-06-08
MCNS changes the company name to SK pucore and becomes more engaged in the eco-friendly business
The new name
is a combination of PU (polyurethane) and ‘core’··· “Will create core values of
the PU industry to grow together with the clients.”Efforts
will be made to globalize the eco-friendly PU business including re-polyol and
bio-polyol products ··· in an aim to achieve KRW 1 trillion in sales by 2025.
MCNS,
a subsidiary of SKC (President: Woncheol Park) in the polyurethane materials
business has changed the company name to SK pucore to actively get engaged in
expanding the global ESG materials solutions business.
SK
pucore held a board of directors meeting on May 26 and decided to change the
company name to SK pucore. The new company name, SK pucore, is a combination of
PU (polyurethane) and ‘core’ that together signify the company’s determination
to create core values of the PU industry and grow together with the clients. In
September last year, SKC agreed to terminate the contract of MCNS, a joint
venture company established in 2015 in collaboration with Mitsui Chemicals to
pursue its own growth.
With
its new company name, SK pucore seeks to expand the eco-friendly PU materials
business involving re-polyol and bio-polyol to the fullest extent. While PU is
used for a variety of purposes for furniture, automotive interior materials, fridges,
LPG ship insulation and more, most of the used PU is discarded due to economic inefficiency
in waste collection for processing and difficulty in recycling. SK pucore’s
re-polyol is made with eco-friendly technology turning waste PU into usable
material polyol.
Not
only was SK pucore the first in the country to develop the re-polyol technology,
it was NET (New Excellent Technology) certified by the government last year and
commercialized the re-polyol early this year in partnership with a large furniture
company. SK pucore plans to expand the application of re-polyol into various
product groups such as cars, fridges and construction boards.
SK
pucore will also be devoted to bio-polyol business which uses different
biological materials instead of petroleum-based materials. It already succeeded
in the commercialization of bio-polyol made from castor oil, a type of
vegetable oil and is seeking partnership with global consumer goods companies. Increased
research and development efforts are further being focused on creating bio-polyol
products using other types of nonedible vegetable oil.
SK pucore will actively explore global expansion as
well. It is currently running production bases (System House) in six countries including
the U.S., China, Poland Mexico and India. The plan is to increase its share in
the global market by making further entries into the markets with high growth
potential such as Southeast Asia and Central and South America. SK pucore aims
to achieve more than KRW 1 trillion ink sales by 2025.
An
SK pucore executive said, “We will position ourselves as a ‘core player’ in the global
market through continuous R&D efforts and business expansion with the eco-friendly
PU materials business being the top priority,” and added, “We will strengthen our
leadership in eco-friendly business together with SKC, which is engaged in a
wide spectrum of business for the commercialization of green degradable
materials and recycled waste plastic.”
[SK
pucore CI]
2022-05-26
SKC reaches KRW 1 trillion in sales for Q1 this year for the first time in history
KRW 1.12 trillion in sales and KRW 133.0
billion in operating income for Q1 2022 ... 50.5% and 57.6% year-on-year
increase, respectivelyExpanded ESG management ... increased efforts to build a green ecosystem
by launching a game-based
information platform for separate plastic disposal
SKC (President: Woncheol Park) achieved KRW 1.12
trillion in sales and KRW 133.0 billion in operating income for Q1 2022. It is
the first time for SKC’s quarterly sales to exceed KRW 1 trillion. The sales and
operating income increased year-on-year by 50.5% and 57.6%, respectively.
On May 10, SKC announced the above Q1 earnings
report at the Jongno-gu SKC head office in the presence of key executives including
Yongsun Lee (Head of Industry Materials Division), Duhwan Choi (Head of Management
Support Division), Gabryong Choi (Head of ESG Promotion Support Division), President
Jaehong Lee of SK nexilis, President Kidon Won of SK picglobal, President Euijoon
Lim of MCNS and President Jongwoo Kim of SKC solmics. SKC’s earnings report
announcement was also livestreamed on YouTube.
SKC showed growth in all of its business categories
in Q1. SK nexilis, an investment company in copper foil business for
rechargeable batteries recorded KRW 212.5 billion in sales and KRW 24.5 billion
in operating income. In particular, quarterly sales of more than 10,000 tons of
copper was achieved for the first time through customer diversification. SK nexilis
is speeding up to establish a global manufacturing system as construction
started July last year for its factory in Malaysia with an annual production
capacity of 50,000 tons, followed by the construction of its factory in Poland
with the same production capacity which will start in Q2.
The chemical business centered
around SK picglobal recorded KRW 434.8 billion in sales and KRW 86.1 billion in
operating income. Despite bear spread of propylene oxide (PO) products, the
sales increased year-on-year by 86% through efforts to continuously expand the
sales of high value-added propylene glycol (PG) products and effects gained
from business connectivity with MCNS. SK picglobal is further planning to
maintain solid profitability in Q2 by expanding the sales coverage into high
value-added regions including North America and Europe.
The industry materials
business recorded KRW 335.4 billion in sales and KRW 28.0 billion in operating
income. The operating income almost doubled on a year-on-year basis as the
sales of high value-added products for advanced IT and display increased while
at the same time eco-friendly materials such as Eco-Label, thermo-shrinkable
packaging material, were sold more than the previous year. It is planned for Q2
to further focus on eco-friendly and high value-added products so as to be
responsive to market volatility including soaring prices of raw materials.
The
semiconductor materials business driven by SKC solmics recorded KRW 132.9
billion in sales and KRW 4.9 billion in operating income. In particular,
improved profitability was attributed to increased CMP pad sales. A
certification accreditation is planned for Q2 through maintaining the solid
growth of CPM pads and expanding its client base. Following the process advancement
of an SKC solmics client, high value-added products are expected to account for
a greater portion in the ceramic parts.
SKC is also going extra miles to strengthen the ESG
management in addition to sales expansion and profitability improvement. SK nexilis
has successfully secured an investment of KRW 500 billion for business
expansion in Europe based on the financial agreement concluded between SKC and
Korea Development Bank last year. SKC copper foil business was recognized for its
eco-friendly business management as this transaction received the highest
rating (GL1) in debt-related ESG certification from the Korea Investors
Service.
On April 22, in celebration of Earth Day, SKC
released a game-type smartphone application called My Green Place which is the
first of its kind in South Korea. My Green Place offers information for users as
to how they can properly separate plastic waste in day-to-day life. In addition,
an extended operation will be sought for the new materials technology-based open
platform that has been running since 2017 in collaboration with various special
agencies with an aim to facilitate commercialization of startups, venture companies
and SMEs.
Efforts have been made for corporate governance as well.
While ESG Committee and Related Party Transactions Committee were newly established
last year for the Board of Directors to assume expanded roles, SKC appointed an
outside director as the Board of Directors Chair for the first time in March this
year which would further contribute to increased independence of the Board. Furthermore,
the diversity of the Board was also enhanced by having a female outside
director appointed as the Head Commissioner of the Related Party Transactions
Committee.
An SKC executive said, “The first quarter this year
has been successful across all business areas with the all-time high quarterly
sales over 1 trillion Korean won. This was added with expanded ESG management outcomes
by building a platform which invites the end customers to be engaged in an eco-friendly
plastic ecosystem,” and added, “The Company will continue its business model
innovations oriented towards a ‘Global ESG materials solution’ provider.” [End]
2022-05-10
SKC records all-time high annual sales and operating profit in 2021
Sales
of KRW 3.39 trillion and operating profit of KRW 464.5 billion in 2021, increasing
38% and 130%, respectively, compared to the previous year; the highest in
historyLeaping
forward as a global ESG materials solution company...operating profit of KRW
450-500 billion targeted for 2022
SKC
recorded an all-time high performance in 2021 with sales of KRW 3.39 trillion
and operating profit of KRW 464.5 billion. Compared to the previous year, sales
and operating profit increased 38% and 130%, respectively. For 2022, the
company targets KRW 3.8 trillion to 4 trillion in sales and KRW 450 to 500
billion in operating profit by continuing the upward trend in performance.
SKC
announced on February 8 its 2021 business results in the presence of key
executives at the SKC head office in Jongro-gu, Seoul. Just like last year, the
performance announcement was conducted live on YouTube.
SKC
showed growth in all business areas last year by continuously reinventing its
business model. It rapidly implemented the domestic and overseas expansion of its
copper foil business, the world’s largest—for rechargeable battery. It also
started a high value-added, eco-friendly new material business such as
semiconductor glass substrates for high-performance computing, silicon anode
materials for rechargeable batteries, and eco-friendly biodegradable plastics.
Moreover, it secured investment resources such as signing a KRW 1.5 trillion financial
agreement with Korea Development Bank.
SK
Nexilis, an investment company in the copper foil business, recorded sales of
KRW 663.2 billion and operating profit of KRW 79.5 billion last year. Compared
to 2020 as the first year it became part of SKC, sales and operating profit increased
79% and 50%, respectively. Amid the rapid growth of the rechargeable battery
market, the increase in production with the commercialization of Jeongeup
Factory #5 was the key factor. Its performance is expected to increase further
when Factory #6 starts commercial operation this year. The company also plans
to commercialize a Malaysian factory in 2023 and a Polish factory in 2024.
SK
Picglobal, a global joint venture in the chemical business, saw its sales and
operating profit increase 57% and 277%, respectively, compared to the previous
year to KRW 1.102 trillion and KRW 332.2 billion, respectively. Profitability
has significantly improved thanks to a portfolio strengthening strategy
centered on high value-added PG (propylene glycol) in addition to favorable
business conditions. SK Picglobal plans to continue increasing the number of
major customers for high value-added PGs this year.
In
2021, SKC’s industry materials business division recorded sales of KRW 1.13
trillion and operating profit of KRW 69 billion. Despite the rising raw
material prices and one-off expenses, both sales and operating profit increased
compared to the previous year. Amid continued solid demand such as the trend of
larger displays this year, it will spur the reinforcement of the eco-friendly
materials sector by launching the new biodegradable LIMEX material business in full
scale and expanding the use of biodegradable PLA packaging materials.
The
semiconductor materials business, centered on SKC Solmics, recorded sales of
KRW 484.6 billion and operating profit of KRW 22.1 billion, achieving
additional growth after turnaround to profit last year. In particular, the
company has posted record-breaking sales every quarter since the second quarter
of last year thanks to the start of commercial operation of the CMP pad factory
in Cheonan, securing growth momentum and solid demand for ceramic parts. The
company plans to increase the number of CMP pad customers and continue growing
through the commercialization of blank masks this year.
SKC
recorded good results in ESG management and financial performance last year.
The MSCI ESG grade was upgraded from B in the previous year to BB last year,
and the KCGS overall grade was upgraded from B+ to A during the same period. Moreover,
SK Nexilis received UL's “Zero Waste To Landfill (ZWTL)” Gold grade, with SK Picglobal
acquiring the Gold grade in EcoVadis’ “ESG Management Assessment” as
certification by trusted global organizations.
SKC
will reinvent its corporate identity as a “Global ESG materials solution
company” this year. Moreover, it will complete the main commercialization of
ESG business models such as rechargeable batteries, semiconductors, and
eco-friendly materials. To this end, the company plans to accelerate
large-scale investment and global expansion and continue its efforts to secure
capabilities, organizations, and talents befitting a global ESG company.
"Thanks
to the 'deep change' over the past five years, we recorded all-time high sales
and operating profit last year,” an SKC official said. According to this
official, this year will be the first year of implementing ‘Leap & Reap,’
meaning leaping forward to become a global ESG materials solution company and reaping
the results.
Dividend
for 2021 is 1,100 won per share, up 10% from the previous year. “Despite the
difficult external environment, we increased the dividend compared to the
previous year to maintain the basic policy of active return to shareholders,” the
SKC official added.
2022-02-08