SK On's Hungarian plant has officially received recognition for its excellent manufacturing and quality competitiveness from global automotive giant Ford.
On October 6, SK On held a ceremony at its Ivancsa plant in Hungary to announce that it has obtained the Ford Q1 Award. The announcement was made on October 7.
Kim Seong-sik, head of SK On's European operations, attended the event and received the award from a Ford representative.
The Ford Q1 Award is the highest quality certification granted by Ford, evaluating suppliers of parts and raw materials based on production technology, product quality, quality improvement efforts, and manufacturing and quality management systems.
The 'Q1' designation reflects Ford's management philosophy that prioritizes quality, encapsulated in the phrase 'Quality is Job 1.'
Since commencing mass production in the second quarter of 2024, the Ivancsa plant has focused on stabilizing production and enhancing quality competitiveness. It achieved the Ford Q1 certification just two years after beginning operations.
From late last year to the first half of this year, SK On underwent a rigorous evaluation process by Ford to obtain the Q1 certification.
During the assessment, Ford praised SK On for its advanced quality management system, which prevents the delivery of defective products and identifies potential quality risks for improvement.
Kim Seong-sik stated, "Receiving the Q1 Award is the result of our headquarters and local team prioritizing quality as our foremost value and working together. We will continue to enhance the manufacturing and quality competitiveness of the SK On Hungarian plant through ongoing improvements and proactive quality management to meet customer trust."
The Ivancsa plant is SK On's third battery production facility in Hungary, following the Komárom Plant 1 and Plant 2. Construction began in the third quarter of 2021, and commercial operations started in the second quarter of 2024, with an annual production capacity of 30 GWh.
Combined with the Komárom Plant 1 (7.5 GWh) and Plant 2 (10 GWh), SK On's total production capacity in Hungary reaches 47.5 GWh. The Ivancsa plant is currently a key production hub for supplying batteries for Ford's electric vehicles in Europe.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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