Since its establishment in 1978, AJIN INDUSTRIAL(www.wamc.co.kr) has grown by supplying basic frame pressing to the automobile industry based on its mission to “provide complete customer satisfaction.” The company has been in the business of supplying car frames to Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors. In addition, the company’s subsidiaries develop and supply video equipment, software development, and vision inspection device robots.

▲Car Body

In 2013, AJIN INDUSTRIAL participated in the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement’s Robot Dissemination Project for Market Creation through a robot pilot project that promoted the commercialization of horse-riding robots. The company is looking at other ways of diversifying in order to maintain relevance in the market. The company’s “Horse Riding Simulator” was chosen for the Robot Dissemination Project. In this age of indoor screen golf, the project promises to open a new age of indoor horse riding.

▲horse-riding robots

The equestrian robot was developed in partnership with AJIN INDUSTRIAL and the Korea Institute of Robot and Convergence. The equestrian robot is 2.5m and 2m high and provides actual horse-like movements through six degrees of freedom. Sensors are attached to the saddle, bridle and sides of the horse for a more realistic experience of horse riding. The user can use his legs to apply force to the sides of the horse to increase its speed; releasing the force will slow it down. Maneuvering is done with the bridle. Facing the horse is a screen that features an actual riding track; when the 3D glasses are worn, the user can enjoy the feeling of participating in an actual horse race.

Currently, the domestic horse riding market is approaching 10 million people and the number of horse riding-related organizations number 730. In order to bring horse riding to the masses, AJIN INDUSTRIAL has intensified their promotion efforts and come up with a variety of application models to supply their horse riding robots to theme parks, play facilities, and fitness centers (rental business). To this end, AJIN INDUSTRIAL has constructed a production line capable of providing affordable horse riding robots and set up regional offices charged with distribution and after-service tasks. The equestrian horse can be used by beginners as well as intermediate and advanced riders who want use the horse for exercise purposes.

AJIN INDUSTRIES is also preparing for the growth of the autonomous and electric vehicles market. This year, under the initiative of Daegu City, the company concluded agreements with other companies that are readying themselves for the production of electric commercial vehicles – to concentrate their efforts on widening the labor pool to meet the challenges of growth in the autonomous and electric vehicles, and to create youth employment. AJIN, with the Korea Productivity Center and Kyungpook National University Department of Electrical Engineering, has entered into the “Smart Car (Intelligent automobile) Manpower Training Project.”

▲AJIN US in Alabama

AJIN INDUSTRIAL has also had an active presence overseas, such as AJIN US in Alabama. This year, AJIN INDUSTRIAL signed a letter of intent to establish a joint venture enterprise to export automobile body part manufacturing technology to Dongfeng Industrial Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the Chinese automobile manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Group. To this end, AJIN has partnered with Daewoo Electronic Components Co., Ltd. to split the registration capital costs 50% to 50% and to jointly manufacture and sell parts.
AJIN has agreed to receive fair compensation for the parts manufacturing technology it will supply to its partner companies.

A person familiar with AJIN INDUSTRIAL Co., Ltd. remarked, "We had been looking to open a new market through partnership with a global company, and with this opportunity, we are now able to expand into the Chinese market," and continued, "We are looking forward to steady sales growth and increased profits in the Chinese market.” AJIN INDUSTRIAL is planning to make a new leap by entering into a full-scale operation of a new factory in Gyeongju Gueo Industrial Complex this year. AJIN INDUSTRIES received a Presidential Citation and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Minister’s award at the 54th Trade Day event this year, and has established an envy-inducing exemplary labor-management relationship.

AJIN INDUSTRIES, which produces Hyundai auto parts in the United States, has been holding “Korean War Veterans Day” for many years. CEO of AJIN INDUSTRIES Jung-ho Seo affirmed, "I will continue to hold this event until the last veteran lives to see it." Last year, CEO Jung-ho Seo was selected as "an esteemed industrialist leading the future" by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. He has encouraged youth employment through local specialization high schools, and academic-industry cooperation with universities. Last year, he won the Grand Prize in a government sponsored competition for his outstanding Work Study program.