Wearing dustproof gowns and shoe covers, I rid myself of any dust in the air shower room. After the air shower, I was amazed by the state-of-the-art environment of the production line I entered. When clicked on the monitor, items automatically descend on the conveyor belt, ready for shipment.
I visited Vitesco Technologies to explore the electric powertrain ‘EMR4’ production line, which was established with an investment of 120 billion won, as well as the AutoStore system.
On the 23rd, when the early winter chill briefly vanished, I made my way to Vitesco Technologies in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do.
Vitesco Technologies was established in Korea in August 1987 as part of the German Siemens Group. It became part of the Continental Group in 2007 and has now been an independent entity for over two years since its spin-off from Continental in August 2021.
A total of 46% of the order volume consists of electric powertrains. They manufacture inverters, electric motors, DC converters, and battery management systems. Kim Jun-seok, the CEO of Vitesco, expressed confidence, stating, “Our annual average sales are growing by 40% each year, expecting to reach revenues of 17 trillion won by 2030.”
In the conference room, Vitesco’s new electric unit, EMR4, was on display. EMR4 is the latest product resulting from years of development that began in the early 2000s and follows the EMR3 from 2019. Senior Vice President Shim Beom-joo stated, “Compared to the old EMR3, the power loss of the unit has been significantly reduced, maximizing efficiency and extending the driving range of electric vehicles,” adding that it can reduce carbon emissions by more than 40%. Moreover, he explained that “the EMR4 is made with recyclable materials, making it easy to dispose of and recycle.” The EMR4 is set to be applied in Hyundai Group’s B and C segment electric vehicles starting next year.
I moved to the EMR4 electrification factory. Before entering, I donned dustproof gowns and shoe covers, and after removing dust in the air shower room, I stepped onto the production line.
The factory’s interior is so clean and organized that it’s hard to believe it’s a production facility. The production line consists of one robot and five sub-lines, with the process structured as Rotor – Stator – Inverter – Final Assembly. Employees clustered around the machines were engaged in focused discussions before the process commenced.
Finally, I visited the AutoStore. The AutoStore features a massive glass wall and a single monitor. An employee mentioned that, “In a typical warehouse, employees walk around to manage inventory and shipments, but here, everything can be dispatched and loaded with just a push of a button.”
The AutoStore operates with 13 robots that load and deliver items, while 5,830 storage boxes move seamlessly along the rails.
Although there are no items in stock yet, an employee demonstrated by selecting their desired area with a button. Through the massive glass wall, the stock for that area descends along the rails all at once. Conversely, when loading inventory, simply click the barcode for the designated area and place the items into the basket, prompting the items to automatically transfer to the designated location along the rails.
This system allows employees to manage operations without physically moving items back and forth—their tasks can be handled merely with buttons and barcode tags. Moreover, since AutoStore operates without human intervention and relies on robots for loading items, it can accommodate greater inventory capacity.
The production of EMR4 and the AutoStore will officially begin operations next year, generating much anticipation for the electrified world that Vitesco is building.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr