▲Raontech New Headquarters in Suwon City.

Raontech (www.raonrobot.com) is a KONEX-listed Korean industrial robot company established in 2000. Based on robotics and engineering technologies, they manufacture and supply semiconductor and vacuum robots in semiconductor production lines used by EFEM and Backbone for wafer transfer; transfer and handling robots in the field of Flat Panel Displays (FPD); and Delta Robots for factory automation and automated manufacturing systems for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and everyday products.

Meaning “joy” or “delight” in native Korean, the “Raon” in the company’s name was included to reflect the company’s “having fun in technology” philosophy.

Investments by large companies have increased in markets such as semiconductors, LCD, OLED and others in which Raontech is active, and as such, this year, the company is expecting a 100% growth in sales to 45 billion won over last year. In an organization composed of over 70 members, roughly 30% are devoted to R&D. CEO of Raontech Won Geyung Kim was recognized with the “2016 Korea Robot Award” for his contributions in weaning the country off of its dependence on imported Delta robots, semiconductors and LCD transfer robots, and welding robots. By advancing technological development in these areas and developing high performance, high skill industry robots, the prize was a nod to his role in harnessing domestic technology and promoting Korea’s own industries.

With their move in December 2016 from Ansan to its new headquarters after construction of a new plant in Suwon, Raontech Co., Ltd., has leapt into a new chapter. The new 5600 square-meter building boasts a higher production capacity and a more sophisticated level of clean production system. The move has signalled the company’s growth in the field of semiconductors and FPDs. As a robot company, it is now going head to head with global companies.

▲FPD Handling

Raontech’s major products include wafer-handling robots in the semiconductor production line, EFEM for automated wafer transfer service, platform composed of Backbone, and Cluster Tool for automation module to transfer substrates in a vacuum environment.

The company has strengthened their business by diversifying their product line by including automation systems for the general industry to their main product group, transfer systems for semiconductors and FPDs.

For use in the FPD-use robot sector, the company has developed and is supplying a Cassette Transfer Robot capable of transferring small, 2nd to 8th generation substrates in a vacuum, with a weight allowance of tens of kilograms up to 1,000kg.

Mr. Kim has expressed his disdain for making robots that either already exist or that resemble existing robots. It follows, then, that the company’s strength lies in its making robots that differ from already existing robots or that possess superior performance capabilities.

▲Wafer Handling EFEM

Mr. Kim explained, "By spending a lot of time communicating with our customers, we get a sense of the types of robots that are needed and we get to work on developing them. He continued, “Our Equipment Front End Modules (EFEMs) and Backbone products for wafer transport in the semiconductor production line stand alone in the market, and two wafers can be processed simultaneously.” “We welcome suggestions from customers who have ideas on how to make improvements in their field,” he emphasized, “Not only are there very few companies that make robots of this type, but performance of our products is superior. Because we are trying to make innovative products, it would not be creative at all to make something that already exists – we couldn’t be competitive.”

▲Raontech Production Line

With Raontech’s recent strong growth due to a boom in semiconductors and display industries, the company is taking steps to leap onto the KOSDAQ next year and secure funds through an IPO.

Through robotics and automative technology development in the semiconductor, FPD, Solar Cells, and Industry areas, the company is headed to becoming a world-class and Auto Material Handling System (AMHS) company.