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A Promise to the Earth RE:GEN FUTURE MATERIALS

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<Series> A Promise to the Earth RE:GEN FUTURE MATERIALS

 


 

Hyosung Group practices authentic ESG management through its brand, RE:GEN, which operates with a brand architecture centered around the principles of RECYCLE, UPCYCLE, ZERO, NEW ENERGY, and SAVE. At the heart of Hyosung's endeavors lies an unwavering commitment to core values that unlock the power of a circular economy, carbon neutrality, resource conservation, and energy redesign, all manifested through the ESG brand, RE:GEN. The company steadfastly concentrates the collective efforts of its entire group to lay the foundation for a sustainable future. With five central themes, namely RE:GEN FUTURE MATERIALS (Hyosung Advanced Materials), RE:GEN ECO LIFESTYLE (Hyosung TNC), RE:GEN SMART IT (Hyosung TNS), RE:GEN NEW ENERGY (Hyosung Heavy Industries), and RE:GEN NEXT CHEMISTRY (Hyosung Chemical), we promote ESG management activities tailored to the characteristics of each company. Hyosung Advanced Materials plays a significant role in developing FUTURE MATERIALS to create a safer world.

Hyosung Advanced Materials produces advanced materials that make the cars we drive every day safer. We also manufacture aramid, an advanced material used in essential safety gear such as bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets, and fire-resistant suits, even though we may not encounter them frequently. The technology of Hyosung Advanced Materials has already been deeply integrated into our daily lives to make them safer. Hyosung Advanced Materials produces cutting-edge materials such as carbon fiber and aramid, gaining attention as key technologies in the future food industry. These unique and innovative material technologies can make our everyday lives safer and more convenient. In addition, we are not only focused on creating better materials but also conducting research to develop more sustainable materials that incorporate environmental friendliness. Our goal is to develop materials that are not only suitable for the next generation but also for all generations, with a strong emphasis on sustainability.

 

Hyosung Advanced Materials' Eco-friendly Pop-up Store.

Are you familiar with carbon fiber and aramid, the special materials manufactured by Hyosung Advanced Materials? These materials play a crucial role in enhancing the safety of our daily lives and are already being utilized. However, due to the terminology "advanced materials," some difficulty in comprehending and accessing them exists, resulting in limited awareness and challenges in raising awareness. We have organized an eco-friendly pop-up store to promote Hyosung's B2B-focused brand and provide an opportunity for individuals to discover and experience Hyosung's eco-friendly technology and advanced materials that safeguard our daily lives.

Hyosung Advanced Materials actively collaborates with artists as part of its outreach to the public. As a testament to this commitment, the Hyosung Advanced Materials pop-up store at Musinsa Terrace in Seongsu-dong was established. Before the pop-up store's opening, Hyosung Advanced Materials organized an art contest, seeking artworks that could creatively represent the company's core technologies, products, or eco-friendly vision. Among the numerous entries received, 55 artworks (of 40 people) were selected, with 16 exceptional pieces receiving separate recognition. The selected artworks were provided with space and support to be showcased within the eco-friendly pop-up store.

Hyosung Advanced Materials hosted an eco-friendly pop-up store at Musinsa Terrace in Seongsu-dong, a popular neighborhood among Generation Z. The pop-up store comprised different zones, including an art exhibition area showcasing entries from an art contest that visually expressed Hyosung Advanced Materials' essence. Additionally, there was a clothing exhibition zone featuring a collaboration with the renowned fashion brand KangHyuk, which had previously collaborated with Hyosung and gained significant attention. Furthermore, the pop-up store included a Hyosung product experience zone to demonstrate the company's cutting-edge technology. As part of the event, we created a unique beer label utilizing contest submissions, and we also exhibited eco-friendly bags made from Hyosung Advanced Materials' airbag fabrics, aiming to promote both the technological innovation and trendiness of Hyosung Advanced Materials while enhancing brand familiarity. This eco-friendly pop-up store allowed the general public, particularly Generation Z, to become acquainted with the remarkable technology of Hyosung Advanced Materials.

 


 

Hyosung Advanced Materials: Adding Safety to the Environment

Nowadays, environmental friendliness is just as important as technological prowess. No matter how outstanding the technological capabilities are, they are likely to face consumer backlash if they if they contribute to pollution and the destruction of nature. Hyosung Advanced Materials is gaining more attention by adding environmental friendliness to its products, which possess excellent technological capabilities to safeguard our daily lives. Introducing products from Hyosung that combine technological prowess with environmental friendliness.

Hyosung Advanced Materials is the first company in Korea to successfully develop and produce carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is lighter than steel, yet it possesses high strength and excellent elasticity. With its favorable properties, carbon fiber is regarded as a key material for lightweight in industries such as automobiles and flying mobility, often considered a substitute for steel. Carbon fiber is applied in hydrogen-powered vehicles and electric cars. By incorporating carbon fiber into components such as CNG high-pressure cylinders for CNG buses, hydrogen storage tanks for hydrogen-electric cars, and storage solutions for hydrogen charging stations, lightweight is promoted, leading to improved fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. Furthermore, carbon fiber enables the creation of hydrogen energy storage devices, contributing to the commercialization of hydrogen energy and gaining recognition as an even more environmentally friendly material.

Hyosung Advanced Materials is also developing environmentally friendly tire cord materials for the tire cord sector, where it has a high market share. Hyosung has been striving to apply environmentally friendly materials to producing PET tire cords, which holds the top market share worldwide. As a result, we have successfully developed and produced low-carbon, cellulose-based lyocell tire cords derived from wood, marking a significant achievement in our efforts to incorporate eco-friendly materials into the production process. Hyosung Advanced Materials utilizes lyocell tire cords to replace rayon tire cords, which are used as reinforcing materials in high-speed driving tires requiring high durability. Compared to rayon or nylon tire cords, lyocell tire cords emit approximately 30% less greenhouse gasses. Furthermore, the manufacturing process of lyocell tire cords generates minimal harmful substances such as CS₂ and H₂S, contributing to the prevention of air and water pollution.

As a method to replace PET tire cords with environmentally friendly alternatives, Hyosung Advanced Materials has developed and implemented industrial-grade Bio-PET yarn produced from plant-based materials and high-strength Recycled-PET yarn extracted from discarded PET bottles as well as the development of Bio-Based Nylon yarn and tire cords. Bio-Based PET is an environmentally friendly polyester material produced using Bio-EG, which is extracted through catalytic reactions and fermentation using sources like sugarcane and corn instead of ethylene glycol (EG) derived from petroleum. Mechanical Recycled PET is PET material recycled through a physical process of washing, and shredding discarded PET bottles for reprocessing. On the other hand, Chemical Recycled PET is PET material that is recycled through a chemical process of depolymerizing and reprocessing discarded PET bottles under high temperatures and pressure.

These materials have obtained the ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) PLUS certification and are recognized as environmentally friendly advanced materials. ISCC PLUS is an international certification system that complies with the Renewable Energy Directives (RED) of the European Union for sustainability and low-carbon products. It requires strict certification throughout the entire production and distribution processes, starting from the raw materials, and therefore, it holds a high level of international credibility. By obtaining the ISCC PLUS certification, Hyosung Advanced Materials holds significant importance as the first in the tire cord industry to achieve this certification. With a focus on the environment and reducing environmental pollution, Hyosung Advanced Materials plans to collaborate with global tire manufacturing companies and gradually replace all PET tire cords with environmentally friendly materials by 2050.

 


 

The Technology that Protects Us: Aramid

In addition to carbon fiber, often referred to as the "future growth engine," Hyosung Advanced Materials possesses another remarkable material with immense potential. It is the high-temperature resistant fiber called aramid, well-known for its use in flame-resistant clothing and firefighting gloves. However, aramid holds boundless possibilities beyond these applications and is used in various areas where it safeguards our daily lives and ensures safety.

Aramid fibers are divided into two categories: meta-aramids and para-aramids. Meta-aramids are  known for their excellent heat resistance and flame-retardant properties, making them suitable for applications such as firefighting suits, fire gloves, and electrical insulation in vehicles. On the other hands, para-aramids are characterized by high strength. They are used to produce body armor, ballistic helmets, protective gloves, as well as reinforcement materials for tires and construction purposes.

Hyosung Advanced Materials' aramid brand, ALKEX®, has a diverse customer base worldwide, including Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. It offers excellent flame retardant and ballistic solutions. Moreover, aramid is also used in 5G fiber optic cables, enabling us to use smartphones more efficiently and at faster speeds. In 5G technology, due to the shorter wavelength of the signals, they are easily obstructed by buildings or obstacles, leading to diffraction and the need for more base stations. Fiber optic cables are required to connect these base stations, and aramid is used in these cables. Fiber optic cables, buried in the ground or deep underwater, are challenging to maintain once installed. They need to withstand various environmental conditions and remain flexible without easily breaking. Aramid perfectly suits these requirements. Lastly, aramid also contributes to lightweight electric vehicles. Aramid is applied in belts, hoses, brake pads, and other components of internal combustion engine vehicles to enhance their durability thanks to its outstanding heat resistance, flame retardancy, and chemical resistance. It is also used in electric vehicles, which are increasingly being adopted. Aramid is employed in electric batteries and motors. To achieve longer distances, more batteries need to be installed. For lightweight vehicles where weight reduction is crucial, aramid is used as a substitute to achieve lightweight, allowing them to travel further even with the same battery capacity. Furthermore, aramid is applied in tire cords to design them to withstand the vehicle's load and absorb external impacts.

With its widespread applications in various fields, Hyosung Advanced Materials' aramid is gradually gaining higher market share due to its advanced technological capabilities and potential for use. The possibilities for its future development are highly anticipated.

 


 

Hyosung Advanced Materials is a company that develops and produces advanced materials. In fact, when we think of advanced materials, it often seems distant or inaccessible. However, it is truly astonishing to realize that Hyosung Advanced Materials' products, such as polyester yarn for airbags, seat belts, and tire cords, incorporate so many advanced materials used in everyday cars we drive. Aramid, which is not only used in tire cords but also in applications such as body armor and flame-resistant clothing, is also utilized as reinforcement material for tires and construction structures. It is even used in 5G fiber optic cables, enabling us to have fast internet access every day. Without realizing it, we have been encountering Hyosung Advanced Materials' advanced materials in our daily lives.

Hyosung Advanced Materials is dedicated to researching methods for developing eco-friendly high-tech materials we use in daily lives. We are committed to ensuring that these material technologies not only enhance convenience and safety but also contribute to environmental protection. Recognizing the growing importance of environmental issues, we understand the need to strive towards creating future materials that align closely with nature. We aim to provide all generations with an improved quality of life. Hyosung is genuinely devoted to developing technologies that safeguard the environment, and we will continue moving forward, as we believe that the sustainable future we envision can be realized through the innovative technologies created by Hyosung Advanced Materials. We promise to concentrate all our efforts on developing material technologies that protect the environment, fulfill our social responsibilities, and ensure safety and convenience. We hope that Hyosung Advanced Materials' endeavors for a better future will be inherited by future generations.

Reply to Every Generation's Future: RE:GEN FUTURE MATERIALS, the response for the future of every generation.