КГГЕСН: Innovation Leader in Manufacturing Technology

Founded in 1989. the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) places the greatest emphasis on "application" of its R&D efforts. This reflects the institute's very reason for existence: technology development and support for the small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of Korea.

Accordingly, there was an increasing demand for an agency dedicated to meeting the demands from those in manufacturing production The need was for agency able to support industrial production technologies, something quite different from the needs of basic science.

Also important in the birth of KITECH was the perceived need for genera/ and long-term technology policies, ambitions ones different in nature from those in the past. KITECH has made its way to the future it promised hy pursuing a coherent goal of developing and supporting production technologies. Its innovation efforts for traditional industries, and development activities for advanced technologies, have been applied widely: from developing and supporting weak technologies on the production front to formulation of large-scale national policy projects whose ripple effect has been to spread across industries. Only based on solid foundations can high technology achievement he possible.

KITECH's application rate of R&D projects is 71%. the result of its conviction and hard work This places KITECH at the top among all the research institutes under the Korean government.

The Institute supports SMEs b\ dealing with an average of 30,000 cases a year. Without its efforts, to lower die criteria applied to enterprises and to establish a new communication system, a public agency could not have achieved such impressive performance results.

KITECH was originated "in the field" and invented as it pursued its efforts for applications. Now it aims to innovate, and for that its organization has recently been rearranged Having reached the initial goal-"To be the best research institute specialized in manufacturing technologies"-KITECH needed a new inspiration: "Being the world's best."

There is no doubt that KITECH's brisk efforts and activities to support Korean enterprises through the development of application-

oriented technologies will play a pivotal role in making Korea a nation of strong technology power earlier than expected.

An Automotive Technology, Research andService Center KATECH

Since its first, original model passenger car in 1976, the Korean automobile manufacturing industry has grown to become fifth-largest in the world. This remarkable achievement has been made possible due to strategic investments by automobile manufacturers and their close cooperation with the Korean automotive component industry which is mostly comprised of small- and medium-sized enterprises. The two industries have undergone a severe restructuring process since the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997 and, these days, are bouncing back very strongly with much enhanced quality and cost effectiveness as is demonstrated by their increased market share in the US and Europe.

Located at the center of the Korean peninsula (in Chonan. Chungnam Province), the Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH) is a research organization established through a joint sponsorship of the two industries. The main purpose of the institute is effectively to support Korean automotive component suppliers in their effort to enhance their technological levels, which have been hampered by the dearth of sufficient basic technology. R&D engineers, equipment and test facilities. Since its establishment in 1990, KATECH has been actively developing various key automotive technologies in cooperation with the two industries.

Next Generation Vehicle Technology Development Project has been one of the most important R&D projects undertaken by KATECH. The project was a long-term, large-scale national project over a period often years, from 1992 to 2002, and its main effort was devoted to the development of technologies related to the areas of low emission, safety and the electric vehicle. Key technologies for GDI engine, HSDI diesel engine, CNG vehicle. VDS. ECD, advanced safety vehicle, navigation, ITS, hybrid vehicle and fuel cell vehicle have been developed through the project. Many of these have been already commercialized in the world market by Korean automobile manufacturers and component suppliers.

KATECH is preparing to launch another long-term, large-scale national project-Future Vehicle Technology Development Project-that will

continue for the next ten years. In carrying out the project, much R&D effort will be concentrated on hybrid vehicles, the fuel cell vehicle and the smart vehicle with telematics, areas which have been designated as "Growth Engine" for the future of Korea.

In addition to its R&D activities. KATECH is providing various services such as component performance test and evaluation, reliability testing and assessment, vehicle test, information and technical training as needed by the industries.

KATECH is planning to broaden and strengthen its horizon of joint technological cooperation with outstanding international research organizations such as the University of South Carolina in the US, Fraunhofer Institute-LBF in Germany and NTSEL in Japan-working in the fields of fuel cells, durability' design of components. DME diesel engine and the like.

Based on its accumulated technologies and experience. KATECH is striving to become a leading automotive technology research institute in Korea, ready to expand its areas of activities to the world. The door of KATECH is wide open not only to Korean industries but also to industries abroad.