HMG Construction Technology Institute launched under joint CEO oversight, consolidating research capabilities across four key areas including small modular reactors and hydrogen
Hyundai E&C and Hyundai Engineering are merging their research and development organizations to secure next-generation construction technologies.
The two companies announced Monday the launch of the HMG Construction Technology Institute, formed by combining Hyundai E&C's Technology Research Institute and Hyundai Engineering's Future Technology Promotion Division. The merger aims to pool each company's research personnel, technology assets and project execution experience to respond to the energy transition and the spread of smart construction.
The institute will operate as a direct arm of the CEOs of both Hyundai E&C and Hyundai Engineering. Kim Jae-young, a former vice president for research at Seoul National University who joined Hyundai E&C's Technology Research Institute as director last year, will serve as its inaugural head. The institute has been reorganized around four core research areas: energy, future residential, smart construction and infrastructure.
Specific focus areas include next-generation energy technologies such as small modular reactors, hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel; new residential products and construction methods; residential data utilization; AI- and robotics-based smart construction; and future infrastructure covering below-ground spaces and mobility.
The two companies are also pursuing joint projects to expand Hyundai Motor Group's hydrogen ecosystem. They are jointly developing a 5-megawatt plant-type proton exchange membrane water electrolysis system on Jeju Island and participating in a large-scale demonstration project there. The companies also plan to increase the application of their respective strengths in areas such as floor-noise reduction and precast concrete. Joint investment in construction automation research, including robotics, is expected to improve the efficiency of R&D spending and technology asset utilization.
"The top priority of this merger is to consolidate the R&D capabilities of Hyundai Motor Group's construction sector and generate synergies," an HMG Construction Technology Institute official said. "We will work to build on each other's strengths and provide the strategic infrastructure support needed to enhance Hyundai Motor Group's future competitiveness."
quq@heraldcorp.com
