Industry Minister Kim Jeong-gwan, left, presents Kolmar Group Vice Chairman Yoon Sang-hyeon with a certificate naming Kolmar Korea the year’s first reshoring company at the firm’s Sejong plant in Sejong City on the 27th. [Photo=Kolmar Korea]
Industry Minister Kim Jeong-gwan visited Kolmar Korea, which has been named the first “reshoring” company of the year, and pledged expanded support as the government encourages firms operating overseas to bring production back to South Korea.
Kolmar Korea said Kim visited its Sejong plant in Jeonui-myeon, Sejong City, on the 27th, delivered the official designation certificate in person and held a meeting with company officials. KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung and Korea Industrial Complex Corp. Chairman Lee Sang-hoon joined the tour and reviewed the company’s cosmetics manufacturing capabilities.
The Sejong plant is a key facility that serves as headquarters for Kolmar’s global production network. Built in 2014, it was the largest single plant in Asia at the time. It produces 890 million units of basic skincare products a year for about 4,500 customers in South Korea and abroad. Kolmar’s sunscreen products, which have helped drive the global K-beauty boom, are also made entirely at the site.
At a reshoring roundtable held after the tour, Kolmar Group Vice Chairman Yoon Sang-hyeon and representatives from eight reshoring-designated companies, including Simtech, Nepes, Daehan Electric Wire and Sungwoo Hitech, discussed ways to boost domestic investment and improve government support programs.
“Now, the competitiveness of companies and countries is determined by how stably they can secure supply chains,” Kim said. “The government will actively support companies so that returning home and investing in regional areas becomes the most reasonable and attractive choice.”
Yoon said Kolmar plans to strengthen production capacity with Sejong City as its base to meet rising global demand as K-beauty’s profile grows. He said the company will work in step with government support for reshoring firms to enhance K-beauty manufacturing competitiveness and serve as a bridge for broader industry growth.
Earlier, Kolmar said it consolidated its China production at its Wuxi plant and notified the industry ministry of its intention to expand its domestic production base. It was selected in January as the first reshoring company of the year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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