SK On's Hungary plant wins Ford Q1 quality certification
In short
SK On said its Iváncsa battery plant in Hungary received Ford's Q1 Award, the carmaker's top-tier quality certification for suppliers, at a ceremony on October 6 local time. The company announced the certification on October 7, saying Ford evaluated the plant from late last year through the first half of this year. The Iváncsa site, SK On's third battery plant in Hungary, began mass production in the second quarter of 2024 and has an annual capacity of 30GWh.
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SK On said it held a Ford Q1 Award ceremony at its Iváncsa plant in Hungary on October 6 local time and obtained the Q1 certification, the company announced on October 7. Newsis also reported the certification in its headline. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Ford's Q1 Award is a top-grade quality certification that the automaker gives to parts and raw-material suppliers after assessing production technology, product quality, quality-improvement efforts and manufacturing and quality management systems, according to the reports. SK On said the certification officially recognises the Iváncsa plant's manufacturing and quality competitiveness. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
SK On went through Ford's evaluation process from late last year to the first half of this year. The reports said Ford rated highly the company's quality management system, which prevents delivery of defective products and identifies and improves potential quality risks in advance. The Iváncsa plant started mass production in the second quarter of 2024, about two years before the certification, Yonhap and Asia Economy reported. Seoul Economic Daily said construction began in the third quarter of 2021 and commercial operation started in the second quarter of 2024. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Iváncsa is SK On's third battery production site in Hungary, after Komárom plants 1 and 2, and has an annual capacity of 30GWh. Asia Economy and Yonhap reported that Komárom plant 1 has 7.5GWh and plant 2 has 10GWh, putting SK On's total Hungarian capacity at 47.5GWh a year. [ 1 , 2 ]
Kim Seong-sik, head of SK On's European unit, said the Q1 Award was the result of efforts by headquarters and local staff to put quality first as a core value. He said the company would keep raising the manufacturing and quality competitiveness of its Hungarian plants through continuous improvement and pre-emptive quality management, according to Asia Economy. Seoul Economic Daily carried a similar comment from Kim on meeting customer trust. [ 1 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The certification is a supplier-quality stamp from a major global automaker for a plant that has been in mass production only about two years, and it covers SK On's third Hungarian battery site. It matters most as an indicator of the company's manufacturing and quality standing with Ford, rather than as a change in output or contracts, none of which the documents describe.
Key facts
- SK On held a Ford Q1 Award ceremony at its Iváncsa plant in Hungary on October 6 local time and obtained the Q1 certification, the company said on October 7. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Ford's Q1 Award is a top-grade quality certification given to parts and raw-material suppliers after an assessment of production technology, product quality, quality-improvement efforts and manufacturing and quality management systems. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- SK On underwent Ford's evaluation for the certification from late last year to the first half of this year. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Ford cited SK On's quality management system, which it said prevents delivery of defective products and identifies and improves potential quality risks in advance. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The Iváncsa plant began mass production in the second quarter of 2024, about two years before the certification. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Iváncsa is SK On's third battery production site in Hungary, after Komárom plants 1 and 2, with an annual capacity of 30GWh. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Combined with Komárom plant 1 at 7.5GWh and plant 2 at 10GWh, SK On's Hungarian capacity is 47.5GWh a year. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Kim Seong-sik, head of SK On's European unit, said the award reflects efforts by headquarters and local staff to put quality first. [ 1 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- SK On held a Ford Q1 Award ceremony at its Iváncsa plant in Hungary on October 6 local time and received the Q1 certification, announced on October 7. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The Ford Q1 Award is a top-grade quality certification awarded to parts and raw-material suppliers based on production technology, product quality, quality-improvement efforts and manufacturing and quality management systems. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Ford evaluated SK On for the certification from late last year through the first half of this year. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The Iváncsa plant began mass production in the second quarter of 2024. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Iváncsa is SK On's third battery production site in Hungary and has an annual capacity of 30GWh. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the certification is tied to a specific Ford supply contract, and on what terms. The documents describe only the award and the plant's capacity, and give no contract value, volume or duration.
- Newsis's full report on the certification. Only its headline addresses the SK On certification; the article text available covers an unrelated rocket launch, so no additional detail from that outlet could be used.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Ford Q1 Award ceremony held at SK On's Iváncsa plant in Hungary. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The Iváncsa plant began mass production. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Asia Economy reported the certification. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reported the certification. [ 2 ]
- Newsis reported the certification in its headline. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported the certification. [ 4 ]