As the Japanese automotive industry restructures its supply chain to accommodate electrification and increased overseas production, 28 domestic future car parts suppliers are seeking entry into the supply chain of Aisin, a key first-tier vendor for Toyota. With Japanese parts manufacturers beginning to look beyond their existing suppliers for innovative overseas companies, new supply opportunities are opening up for South Korean material and parts firms.
The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced on September 9 that it held the 'Inside Aisin Mobility Technology Exchange' at Aisin's headquarters in Kariya and its Anjo Powertrain Technology Center over two days starting September 8.
Aisin, a first-tier supplier for Toyota, recorded sales of 5.118 trillion yen (approximately $45 billion) last year. It ranked seventh in this year's global automotive parts supplier rankings by Automotive News.
The event featured participation from 28 domestic companies with technologies in electrification components, motor thermal management, battery cases, precision processing, and sensing and autonomous driving software. The participating companies were pre-selected by KOTRA based on actual technology needs identified by Aisin's advanced development and procurement departments.
Aisin currently has 2,914 first-tier suppliers, of which 1,815 are overseas companies, surpassing the 1,099 suppliers based in Japan. As Aisin expands its global procurement network in line with electrification and increased local production, South Korean companies are emerging as potential new suppliers.
Aisin is enhancing its development of drive systems for electric and hybrid vehicles while strengthening production systems in North America, Europe, China, and India. The technology exchange was conducted simultaneously at the Kariya headquarters, which oversees procurement, and the Anjo Technology Center, responsible for core component development, facilitating technology reviews and procurement consultations.
KOTRA's collaboration with Aisin is also gradually expanding. KOTRA began discussions with Aisin's procurement department in 2024 and held a Korea-Japan technology consultation last year. In July, they signed a memorandum of understanding to continuously identify partners in the future car sector. In November, Aisin's procurement representatives will visit South Korea for one-on-one follow-up consultations with domestic companies.
Kang Kyung-sung, president of KOTRA, stated, "As the global automotive industry accelerates its transition to future vehicles, even conservative Japanese companies are beginning to expand cooperation with overseas parts suppliers. Given the importance of long-term trust, we will do our utmost to closely engage with our competitive parts suppliers to expand entry into the supply chains of Japanese automakers and major parts manufacturers."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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