Develops and produces lightweight composite materials and molded parts for automotive, photovoltaics, and aerospace.
Hanwha Advanced Materials Co., Ltd.
Seoul · Sejong · Eumseong · Beijing · Frýdek-Místek · Opelika, AL · Monroe, MI · Georgetown, TX · MonterreyNew on Amplifa
About Hanwha Advanced Materials
Hanwha Advanced Materials is a South Korean manufacturer of lightweight composite materials and molded parts made from them, headquartered in Seoul. In the automotive materials business since 1986, the company produces thermoplastic and thermoset composites such as GMT (StrongLite), LWRT (SuperLite), EPP (BuffLite), SMC, interior sheets and powder (IntermLite), as well as CFRTPC-based carbon fiber composites. From these, parts such as underbody covers, bumper structures, seat frames, headliners, underbody shields, and battery pack housings for electric vehicles are manufactured. A second pillar is solar materials: since 2010, EVA and POE encapsulants (calendering and T-die processes) as well as backsheets made from fluorinated films, hydrolysis-resistant PET, and polyolefin have been produced. The value chain extends from compound and sheet manufacturing through thermoforming, pressing, and injection molding to part development with CATIA, FEM, and crash simulation at the Sejong research institute. With production plants in Korea, China, the USA, Mexico, and the Czech Republic, the company supplies global automotive OEMs and photovoltaic module manufacturers; in 2022, the company was established through a physical spin-off from Hanwha Solutions.
- Site
- Seoul, South Korea
- Processes
- GMT Sheet Manufacturing (Glass Mat + GMT Sheet Production), GMT Press Forming (GMT Press Process), LWRT Sheet Manufacturing, Thermoforming (low-pressure thermoforming of LWRT), EPP Bead Manufacturing (EPP particle foam production), SMC Manufacturing (Sheet Molding Compound production), TPO Sheet Manufacturing (calendering, coating, laminating/embossing), PMC Manufacturing (Powder Slush Molding Compound: compounding, cryogenic grinding,
- Materials
- Polypropylene (PP), Glass fiber / glass mat, GMT (Glass Fiber Mat Reinforced Thermoplastics), LWRT (Low Weight Reinforced Thermoplastics), EPP (Expanded Polypropylene), EPS (Expandable Polystyrene, as reference), PVC, TPO (including bio- and recycled TPO)
- Certificates
- ISO 14001
- Founded
- 1965
- Industries
- Automotive (lightweight construction, e-mobility), Photovoltaics/solar energy, Aerospace/defense (UAM, satellites, drones), Construction (SMC applications), Automotive (lightweight construction, e-mobility)
- 01
Material/compound development
- 02
Sheet manufacturing (GMT, LWRT, SMC, TPO)
- 03
Thermoforming/pressing/injection molding
- 04
Part development (CATIA, FEM, crash simulation)
- 05
Testing and analysis
- 06
Assembly/delivery
Materials and Processes
StrongLite (Glass Fiber Mat Reinforced Thermoplastics, PP/glass fiber)
Structural and underbody parts with steel-like strength at 20–25 % lower weight; approx. 70 % global market share.
SuperLite (Low Weight Reinforced Thermoplastics)
Low-pressure thermoformable lightweight sheet for headliners, sun visors, and underbody parts; world market leader.
BuffLite (Expanded Polypropylene)
Lightweight, recyclable particle foam for bumper cores, tool cases, and packaging.
Sheet Molding Compound (among others CF-SMC, Epoxy-SMC, PU Composite)
Thermoset composite for automotive and construction parts such as hood, roof panel, and battery pack case.
Carbon fiber composites (PEKK/CF, PPS/CF, PP/CF, HDPE/GF, HDPE/AF)
Thermoplastic carbon composites for UAM, satellites, drones, and e-vehicle structural parts.
IntermLite (interior sheets and PMC powder)
Interior surface materials including bio- and recycled TPO for door trim, instrument panel, and seat covers.
Solar encapsulant (HEP/HPO series)
Calendered and T-die produced encapsulation films with high crosslinking and anti-hydrolysis properties for PV modules.
Backsheet (HBS series)
Rear-side solar insulation made from fluorinated films, weather-resistant PET, and polyolefin via coating, lamination, and co-extrusion.
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMT Sheet Manufacturing (Glass Mat + GMT Sheet Production)Plastics | – | – | – | – | PP, glass fiber mat |
| GMT Press Forming (GMT Press Process)Forming | – | – | – | – | GMT (PP/glass fiber) |
| LWRT Sheet ManufacturingPlastics | – | – | – | – | Thermoplastics, glass fiber |
| Thermoforming (low-pressure thermoforming of LWRT)Plastics | – | – | – | – | LWRT |
| EPP Bead Manufacturing (EPP particle foam production)Plastics | – | – | – | – | EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) |
| SMC Manufacturing (Sheet Molding Compound production)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Unsaturated polyester resin, glass chopped strand, SMC (CF-SMC, Epoxy-SMC, PU Composite) |
| TPO Sheet Manufacturing (calendering, coating, laminating/embossing)Plastics | – | – | – | – | TPO, PVC, TPU, bio-TPO, recycled TPO |
| PMC Manufacturing (Powder Slush Molding Compound: compounding, cryogenic grinding,Plastics | – | – | – | – | TPU, PVC, TPO |
| Encapsulant Manufacturing (calendering and T-die processes)Plastics | – | – | – | – | EVA, POE |
| Backsheet Manufacturing (coating/lamination, co-extrusion)Plastics | – | – | – | – | fluoropolymer film, hydrolysis-resistant PET, polyolefin |
| Injection Molding (R&D mold process development)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Thermoplastic composites, CFRTPC |
| Pressing (pressed part production, R&D)Forming | – | – | – | – | SMC, GMT, thermoplastic composites |
| Part development/design (CATIA design, FEM bracket design, crash simulation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Certification
The SMC business is run according to the BIQS process quality system; the company maintains its own testing and analysis capabilities as part of its total solution chain. The Sejong and Eumseong sites are certified to ISO 14001.
| Evidence | Sejong | Eumseong |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 14001 |
Company History
- 1965
Foundation of Korea Hwaseong Industry
- 1973
Foundation of Korea Plastics Industry Co.
- 1974
Foundation of Hanyang Chemical Co.
- 1986
Entry into the automotive materials business
- 1988
Merger of Hanyang Chemical and Korea Plastics Industry
- 1994
Renaming to Hanwha General Chemicals
- 1999
Separation into Hanwha Petrochemical (raw materials) and Hanwha General Chemicals (processing)
- 2004
Production plant Beijing established
- 2006
Production plants in Shanghai (China) and Alabama (USA) established
- 2007
Acquisition of Azdel (LWRT) and renaming to Hanwha L&C
- 2009
Production plant Ostrava/Czech Republic established
- 2010
Start of the solar business; first domestic encapsulant production
- 2014
Sale of the building materials division and renaming to Hanwha Advanced Materials
- 2016
Production plant Monterrey/Mexico established
- 2020
Merger with Hanwha Chemical and Hanwha Q Cells to form Hanwha Solutions
- 2022
Foundation of the US solar company in Georgia; physical spin-off from Hanwha Solutions and restart as Hanwha Advanced Materials
- 2024
New production plant in Texas/USA established