Hyundai Heavy Industries

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., is the largest shipbuilding company in the world, with seven business divisions: Engine & Machinery, Construction Equipment, Electro & Electric Systems, Industrial Plant & Engineering, Shipbuilding, Green Energy, and Offshore & Engineering. The company's various products include containership, LNG Carrier, naval ships, excavators, wheel loaders, forklifts, semi-submersibles, power plants, deslination plants, marine engines, steam turbines, transformers, gas insulated switchgears, wind turbines, and solar modules.

History

Hyundai Heavy Industries was founded in 1947 by Chung Ju-yung in South Korea as a construction company. By 1972, the company decided to enter into shipbuilding, thus the name change to Hyundai Shipbuilding & Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. By June 1974, the company had completed constructing the largest shipyard in the world as well as two 260,000-DWT VLCCs (Supertankers). In 1978, the company changed its name to Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. In 1983, the company established Hyundai Industrial Research Institute. A year later, it also established Hyundai Maritime Research Institute. In 1985, the company was selected as a world-top class shipbuilder by Diamond Magazine. Four years later, the company merged with Hyundai Engines Co., Ltd. In 1991, the company started its employee's stock ownership plan and completed the construction of its LNG Tank Fabrication Shop. From 1992 to 1993, the company received ISO 9001 Q.A. System certification for its Shipbuilding, Offshore & Engineering, Industrial Plant, Engines & Machinery, and Industrial & Power System divisions. In 1994, the company delivered the first LNG Carrier in Korea. Two years later, the company completed construction on a turbine generator plant. In 1997, HHI received an ISO14001 International Environmental Management Certificate. The company also acquired a transformer factory in Bulgaria. In 1999, HHI completed building the world's largest 200 MW Diesel Power Plant in India. A year later, the company introduced the first environmentally friendly intelligent engine. HHI also commercialized the super-high voltage transformer, the first in Korea. The company also had several other milestones within the same year: developed the first propeller turnover device in Korea, completed construction of the 5th Flus Gas Desulfurization facility in Hadong, acquired ISO 9001 integrated certification for all its divisions, trial-tested the world's largest Super Engine (93,120 BHP), opened its second Large Engine factory, established the Hyundai Techno-Design Research Institute, and many more. In 2001, the company completed construction on the world's largest Elf Girassol FPSO (343,000 tons), developed the 800kV GIS, and exceeded 30 million bhp for large-scale engine production. In 2002, the company acquired Samho Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. and made the largest 840MVA transformer in Korea. Two years later, HHI developed Korea's first electric propulsion device for electric cars. In 2005, the company completed constructing a Shipbuilding Block in Pohang. In 2006, the company launched the Sohn Won-II, an advanced submarine. A year later, the company launched the first KDX-III class in Korea, Sejong the Great Destroyer. A year later, the company produced the Photovoltaic inverter (3kW, 12kW), established a solar cell and module production line, produced the Mold transformer, the ultra-size excavator of 86 tons, and the “ceiling plunge” of Deep Well Pump. In 2009, HHI completed construction on the world's first T-shaped dry dock and delivered the first ship to be equipped with a Ballast Water Treatment System. In 2010, HHI reached many more milestones such as completeing the Gunsan Shipyard and Wind Turbine Factory, developing a high output eco-friendly gas engine, acquiring Hyundai Oilbank Co., Ltd., developing an earth-friendly HIMSEM Gas Engine, establishing the largest domestic factory for thin-film solar cells, and completing a 2.2MW solar power plant in Nordfriesland, Germany. A year later, the company established its Green Energy division, developed a compact distribution vehicle called "Order Picker", built a new robot plant, established Hyundai Energy & Resources, developed 2 new models of the HIMSEN engine, and completed the Hyundai Power Transformers USA, Inc. Over the next several years, Hyundai continued to produce new innovations in its various industries such as the 3-Blade propeller for Twin-skeg LNG Carrier, a cargo containment system for membrane type LNG carriers, the Accommodation Vessel, and the world's largest 19,000 TEU containership.

Headquarters & Locations

Hyundai Heavy Industries is headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea with overseas branch offices in the US, UK, Russia, The Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Spain, Japan, India, Singapore, U.A.E., Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Angola.

Photos Courtesy of Hyundai Heavy Industries