LG Uplus, IBCT partner to help Korean manufacturers adopt Catena-X

LG Uplus has teamed up with data space specialist IBCT to help South Korean manufacturers adopt Catena-X, pledging end-to-end support — from enrollment through system operation — to lower the barriers to exchanging data with European supply chains.

LG Uplus said Monday it held a strategic partnership signing and joint business launch ceremony with IBCT. The joint initiative is designed to support domestic manufacturers in adopting Catena-X and building and operating the required systems.

Catena-X is a data-sharing ecosystem that counts BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen among its global manufacturing participants. Member companies can exchange key data while retaining full control over their own information.

According to LG Uplus, Europe has been tightening regulations covering entire supply chains — including production history, raw material sourcing and carbon emissions. Korean manufacturers that do business with European companies must now build systems capable of managing data in compliance with those standards.

The two companies plan to launch an integrated service framework covering consultation, enrollment, system setup, infrastructure provision and ongoing operations for manufacturers seeking to adopt Catena-X. The initiative also aims to reduce the technical burden on small and midsize Korean exporters and help them build the data management environments that global supply chains require.

IBCT will handle enrollment, onboarding and system setup for Korean companies. The firm is the sole domestic affiliate of Cofinity-X, the commercial operator of Catena-X. Drawing on its own data space platform, IBCT will offer capabilities covering product carbon footprint, digital product passport, supply chain traceability and certificate management.

LG Uplus will provide the cloud, telecommunications and security infrastructure needed to run the service. The company will also offer Catena-X adoption consulting, implementation and operational support to corporate customers. It will combine its security solution capabilities to create an environment where sensitive data can be managed safely while staying connected to the global ecosystem.

"Korean companies participating in European supply chains face the challenge of not only collecting and managing data, but also protecting critical manufacturing data while connecting with global partners," said Kwon Geun-seop, head of LG Uplus's customer group. "We will leverage our corporate customer base and our cloud, network and security capabilities to make it easier for domestic manufacturers to adopt Catena-X."

"As global supply chains reorganize around data, Korean manufacturers are increasingly required to have structured data management systems in place," said Lee Jeong-ryun, CEO of IBCT. "By combining IBCT's data space technology with LG Uplus's infrastructure, we will provide a service that connects Korean exporters to the global manufacturing ecosystem."