HD Hyundai open world-leading smart factory in Ulsan
New smart facility will see production capacity rise from 9,600 units to up to 15,000 machines per year
HD Hyundai Construction Equipment have invested €131 million in the development of an advanced, world-leading smart factory at their Ulsan Campus in South Korea. The 4,710m2 campus is a single cohesive facility with automated product flow and advanced quality control that has seen the modernized facility increase production capacity by 56%.
The company has been working on its Advancement Project since 2023, expanding and reorganizing production lines, constructing a new quality-assurance centre and a new receiving building, developing an updated office structure, and transforming the plant into a smart facility. Production and logistics have been streamlined under an integrated factory system, while a real-time product tracking system has been introduced to optimize workflow and overall efficiency.
Welding robots have been installed in the fabrication facility, with vision sensors on the body welding production line, enhancing productivity and quality consistency. Unmanned transport vehicles (AGVs) and AI-based quality-inspection systems in the assembly line further increase automation. This has resulted in a labour productivity improvement of more than 20%, while the time required to complete a machine has decreased by up to 35%.
The Ulsan facility, which builds medium-to-large excavators and wheel loaders, will see production capacity rise by 56%, from 9,600 units a year to up to 15,000 machines annually, allowing the company to meet the growing demands from customers worldwide. The smart facility will act as a ‘Mother Plant’ with direct connections to HD Hyundai’s major overseas production plants and customization centres in Europe and the US.
HD Hyundai chairman Kwon Oh-gap said: ‘The new factory, transformed with a smart and safe production system, aims to become the world’s leading production hub, integrating advanced technology and environmental sustainability.’
The site has already delivered its first machines, including a 40-tonne Next Generation crawler excavator that was launched to the market at the recent Bauma exhibition in Munich. The site has also provided a 125-tonne class excavator and 35-tonne large wheel loaders to dealers around the world.
‘The Ulsan Campus has been transformed into a smart factory, significantly improving its quality competitiveness,’ said chief executive officer Choi Cheol-gon. ‘We are dedicated to providing top-tier products, that will lead the construction machinery sector, including our Next Generation models.’
