■ Production : Producer Cho Sung-woo and writer Lee Ho-seung
■ Proceedings: Professor Sun Eun-ae of Songwon University
■ Broadcast Date : February 3, 2023 (Fri)
Song Jong-woon, CEO of E-Soltec[Next up is the interview with CEO Song Jongwoon of E-Soltec]
* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> In this session, we will be joined by <luxury small and medium-sized enterprises> that introduce promising local SMEs that are revitalizing the local economy and creating high-quality jobs. Today, we will talk with CEO Lee Jong-woon of Sol Tech, a start-up venture company that has researched and developed energy-saving and self-contained eco-friendly modular architecture. Hello, CEO?
◆ Song Jong-woon> Hello, I'm CEO of E-Soltec, Song Jong-woon.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> Recently, interest in modular architecture has been heating up. The government is also looking for ways to revitalize modular architectures that can be used in various forms, such as rental housing and offices, as well as the entry of large domestic companies into Neom City, Saudi Arabia. First, please briefly introduce the company.
◆ Song Jong-woon> Our company is a local small and medium-sized venture company that develops and produces energy-saving, independent modular buildings and module expansion connection member technology in its 10th year of founding.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> Yes. How big is E-Soltec company?
◆ Song Jong-woon> It is a small and medium-sized venture company with around 10 employees, including 3 corporate-affiliated research personnel and 4 production and quality personnel, and has grown more than 200% in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic (2 years), and has been continuously hiring new and experienced personnel to expand the business field.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> But I'm still unfamiliar with modular architecture, so what kind of architecture is it?
◆ Song Jong-woon> In fact, the original term is industrial housing. Most of the construction processes are manufactured in accordance with the construction performance standards and production standards by manufacturing all or part of the structures certified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for more than 80 to 90 percent of the construction process. Industrialization (modular) buildings are structured to quickly complete buildings by constructing the remaining bonding and combining parts on site. Modern modular architecture, such as agricultural membranes and second houses, can be considered to be different from other structural methods, such as wood or steel stud construction. It is not an industrialization-certified construction method, but it is a method that is different from the method of jointing and constructing on site depending on general or temporary building standards. However, most people recently call it a modular method of extending certain building skeletons together on site.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> Yes. What are the advantages of modular buildings when modular housing has become common overseas and the size of the domestic modular market is showing a steep increase?
◆ Song Jong-woon> As explained above, because most of the construction processes are completed in the factory, it can be standardized, transformed into various designs and forms, and installed easily and quickly and safely. In addition, since it is produced in the factory, it is possible to shorten the time for various variables such as climate, temperature, and transportation conditions, which are difficulties on the site. As a result, the cost savings and productivity efficiency increase, while the price of the product varies widely depending on the characteristics of the product.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> E-Solteh has been developing various modular buildings based on energy saving and self-reliance through many trials and errors for 10 years, and I wonder what kind of products they are.
◆ Song Jong-woon> Unlike recent second house products with a uniform design and a simple artificial joint, such as wooden or container, we have developed a basic module product with high energy performance that can be safely and quickly installed by applying hundreds of common parts and a packing module member patent technology based on a beautifully designed cube-type design energy-saving panel. Recently, we have produced and produced modular buildings that can be fixed or moved hundreds of times to fit the optimal space through various patterns and designs, and delivered them to the government and local governments through the Public Procurement Service.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> You've received a lot of patents and certifications, what certificates are they?
◆ Song Jong-woon> For the past 10 years, we have received Korea's best certification, including procurement excellent product certification, mid-term performance certification, global IP company certification, Gwangju Metropolitan City luxury premium certification, and patent technology commercialization excellent company certification for the first time in Korea. Recently, the Public Procurement Service was selected as an innovative product for the first time in Korea.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> You won the '4th Grand Prize' at the Smart Sound Pressure Automation Screening Clinic in 2021.
Please introduce the COVID-19 smart sound pressure automatic screening clinic.
◆ Song Jong-woon> Smart negative pressure automated screening clinic is the only innovation certified by the government procurement agency in Korea that can quickly and safely test large-capacity samples without human error by automating interviews, empty ampoule delivery, specimen testing, and ampoule recovery cleaning. In addition, it has already been supplied to 34 regions across the country for two years through the Public Procurement Service to the government's Central Medical Center, local governments, and the Armed Forces Medical Command. In recognition of this, it has been awarded the Ministerial Award and AWARD at various competitions hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
COVID-19 Smart Negative Pressure Automation Screening Clinic Developed by E-Soltec◇ Sun Eun-ae> You are not only winning the design award but also exporting overseas, what is the competitiveness of E-Soltec?
◆ Song Jong-woon> All of our products have received government awards for their good design certification, AWARD, and new eco-friendly construction technology. However, this is part of the strengths of our products, and our production and delivery of energy-saving, self-contained modular buildings are classified and energy-efficient, and are among the top-notch buildings with modular construction and energy efficiency, or passive house performance. Of course, the price is much higher than that of ordinary buildings. However, energy-efficient buildings are a trend of the times as the government has recently implemented a zero-house and building efficiency rating system. In other words, our product has modular construction and energy-efficient passive house performance. Both of these advantages are the top-level technologies of architecture, and it is difficult to find a company in Korea as well as overseas that has both advantages. Therefore, overseas buyers have been interested in our company with products that can save energy and become self-reliant with a modular construction method that can be expanded in various ways on a beautiful design basis.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> 이It wouldn't have been easy to grow into such a competitive company. Have you had any difficulties running a company?
◆ Song Jong-woon> Yes. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we also faced a tremendous crisis. When we faced a crisis due to the cancellation, postponement, and cancellation of gatherings and events, our sales plummeted by more than 90%, I suddenly thought this was it when I saw the TV performing sample tests in containers and tents. We decided to use our product's energy efficiency, which is the advantage of our product, as a sound pressure chamber and use our product with excellent airtight performance, safely and quickly to develop a screening clinic that can block the safety of medical staff and infection among the subjects, and immediately accelerated the product development. On top of that, the Gwangsan-gu Office's active cooperation and purchase water served as a turning point for us to turn the crisis into an opportunity. However, there are many difficulties in hiring local manpower, which is essential in the process of developing and producing products. In addition, it is regrettable that local small and medium-sized cooperative companies are unable to actively participate and invest in the industry, and to seek lonely survival with companies in other regions in the distance, as it is difficult to establish a network.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> Yes. The word 'lone survival' comes to my ears. Currently, we have branches overseas and are headquartered in Gwangju. Is there any support or improvement from the government or local governments?
◆ Song Jong-woon> The key is the supply of competent and young local human resources. These days, both high school and college students do not want to go to SMEs. That is why we plan to expand our business areas by exporting core technologies and assembling and producing products from local partners. Of course, we will constantly invest in order to recruit young and competent human resources in Korea. However, local governments are also expected to grow in a virtuous cycle when they provide more benefits and opportunities for hiring workers, not just parts but small and medium-sized enterprises with innovative finished products or SMEs with core technologies close to the national core front and rear industries.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> Lastly, please tell me your ultimate goal as an entrepreneur.
◆ Song Jong-woon> It has already been 20 years since I left a large company early and started my own business. I started my own business with only young passion and determination. Now I have been told that I am developing the world's first product and that I am a small and medium-sized enterprise in the region. But there is still so much work to be done. I think it is just the beginning. Now I want to build an ecosystem of related industries with my family, employees and good local small and medium-sized enterprises and grow together.
◇ Sun Eun-ae> Yes. I hope E-Soltec will continue to achieve many achievements in the future, and that's it for today. I was Song Jong-woon, CEO of E-Soltec.
