Samsung Electronics begins trial production of EHS heat pump boiler, full output set for next month

Samsung Electronics announced Monday it will produce its EHS (Eco Heating System) heat pump boiler at its Gwangju plant, becoming the first heat pump manufacturer participating in the government's heating electrification program to reshore domestic production. The company is currently in the trial production phase and will begin full-scale mass production next month.

Samsung Electronics has built a 2,132-square-meter EHS heat pump boiler production line at the second campus of its Gwangju plant in South Jeolla Province, with trial production having begun Wednesday.

Full mass production is set to begin by the end of next month. Until then, the company will verify the stability of its processes and equipment while conducting comprehensive evaluations of finished product performance and quality.

The new production line can turn out more than 100,000 EHS heat pump boilers a year, with all units destined for the domestic market.

Samsung Electronics is the first heat pump manufacturer participating in the government's heating electrification program to establish a domestic production line. The company's heat pump business had previously been oriented toward the European market, with its production base located overseas.

The South Korean government is backing its heating electrification support program as part of its drive to achieve carbon neutrality. It has set a target of deploying 3.5 million heat pumps by 2035, a goal it says would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5.18 million tons.

Samsung Electronics plans to use the reshoring as an opportunity to increase the domestic share of key component production and overall manufacturing processes. The company also intends to support the growth of its partner companies and contribute to the revitalization of the local economy.

The Gwangju plant, where the new production line has been established, has long manufactured premium home appliances including refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. Samsung Electronics plans to leverage the plant's accumulated manufacturing capabilities to accelerate the spread of heating electrification in Korea and expand its heat pump business.

The EHS heat pump boiler is a heating solution that uses ambient air and electricity to supply indoor heating and hot water. Capable of generating nearly five times as much heat as the electricity it consumes, it offers higher energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions than fossil fuel-based boilers.

Alongside the launch of an EHS heat pump boiler optimized for the domestic environment, Samsung Electronics is pursuing nationwide pilot projects to drive mainstream adoption of heat pumps in Korea.

The company is already supplying products through this year's heating electrification program on Jeju Island and plans to expand its supply by participating in a second rollout covering 1,418 households in the second half of the year.

On Jeju Island, Samsung Electronics has also set up a test lab for its EHS All-in-One — a heat pump system capable of both heating and cooling — and is actively conducting pilot operations. The company aims to launch the EHS All-in-One by year-end.

Samsung Electronics is also working with Samsung C&T to study how heat pumps can be deployed in apartment settings. The two companies are exploring ways to commercialize the EHS All-in-One solution for multi-unit residential buildings at Samsung C&T's residential research institute in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

"By establishing a domestic production system for heat pump products, we will respond more actively to the trend of heating electrification and accelerate the expansion of our heat pump business," said Lim Seong-taek, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics' DA Division. "We will continue to deliver solutions optimized for Korea's residential environment by combining the heat pump technology we have built up in global markets with our domestic manufacturing and service capabilities."