02 Kookje Newspaper 2019-12-10

- Founded based on experience in exporting fishing nets and ropes
- Specialized production of OPP Adhesive Tapes for product packaging
- Equipped with facilities in Hong Kong and Asan, South Chungcheong Province

- Exporting to 15 countries including Africa and South America
- Packing materials such as boxes and vinyl products are also sold
- Sponsoring the “Hapiness Menadan” Culture and Arts

Africa is still an unknown land for Korean companies. In addition to being physically far away, the unstable political situation and the hot climate are combined, and there is an atmosphere of reluctance in the new market. This is why Busan’s enterprise, DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD., which pioneered the African market, is drawing such a great attention. DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD. was founded in 2014 and is a company that produces and exports oriented polypropylene(OPP) tapes in Korea. OPP tape is a single-sided adhesive tape that is commonly used around the products and is mainly used to pack and wrap the products.

"Just as semiconductors are essential in the electronic industry, OPP tape is an essential material for all manufacturing industries," said James Hong, the CEO of DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. OPP tape is a basic item for packaging and fixing the product. DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD. has been mainly exporting to around 15 countries including Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. In particular, they have been actively exporting large amounts of packaging materials such as boxes and vinyl products as well along with tapes to Africa and South America.

James Hong pioneered markets by traveling around the world, including Africa. DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD. is a 40-person company with its headquarters in Busan, Hong Kong office, and its Asan plant in South Chungcheong Province, maintaining sales of 10 billion won with selling products at home and abroad. In particular, overseas accounts for 70% of total sales.

James Hong opened the door of DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD., which has West Africa as its main customer, based on his experience of building a company that exports fishing nets to Africa before the establishment. Currently, out of 54 countries on the African continent, he has been proving the excellence of Korean products by travelling through South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, Cameroon, and Congo.

For him, who was born and raised in Busan, his hometown means very special. The headquarters office has also been set up in Dongnae-gu, Busan, and plans to continue our activities based in Busan. Also, he is a founding member of the Dong-A Business Forum, a group of representatives from Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, and served as vice president, and is currently in charge of audit with deep affection towards the region and his alma mater. Last year, he donated 10 million won to the development fund of 'Dong-A 100 Years Together', a school love campaign. DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD was also named the "Happy Menathan Business Group" that supports cultural and artistic activities. Happy Menathan is a group of enterprises sponsoring the hosting of Happy Insight and participated in the Happy Chair Sharing Project with a general spirit to change the organization and society happier, and local companies such as DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD., Air Busan, Sewoon Steel, and Golden Blue will be joining.

DAEBANG INDUSTRY CO., LTD. recently suffered from the strategic entry of the Chinese government and companies into Africa. He believes that there is a sufficient possibility of targeting Chinese companies with low-priced sales policies if we put the superior quality and the profound reliability of domestic products as a top priority. "Africa is still an unknown world for Busan. However, it cannot be denied that it is the last land of hope left on Earth. Many Busan’s youth and manufacturers should take advantage of Africa,” James Hong said.

Reporter Bae Ji-Yeol, ⓒKookje Newspaper(www.kookje.co.kr), Prohibited Unauthorized Reproduction and Redistribution