HKC: Auto Parts Engineered for Safety

HKC continues to prove its reliability and competitiveness in manufacturing automotive parts, from safety components such as seatbelts to battery components for next-generation EVs.

- - By Daniel De Bomford and Frank Pattiasina

Every automotive component must be backed by a level of quality that drivers and passengers can trust to protect them on their journeys. To become the suppliers of choice, manufacturers must maintain incredible quality standards while remaining agile and innovative to meet new challenges. Hankook Capability Corporation (HKC) began manufacturing as an electronic component producer and quickly established itself as the world standard for automotive component manufacturing. In 1986, it entered the seatbelt industry, and its most pivotal moment was being approached by a European Tier One automotive safety systems supplier, which launched HKC's international expansion efforts. CEO Sung-Man Kim says that through the partnership, word quickly spread about its manufacturing expertise, which led to export opportunities. Today, the company manufactures automotive safety components such as channels, latches, tongues, rearview mirrors and BMA parts, shipping over 200 million parts to 25 countries annually.