▲ Bae Myeong-gik, CEO of Kiyang Metal Inc. and BMJ

Tablets commemorating the Inter-Korean Summit 2018
Bae is known to be the first master in the field of surface treatment in Korea whose experience has reached 40 years. In order to celebrate the Inter-Korean Summit 2018, he rolled up his sleeve and made most of his expertise to have created a pure gold plated-pure copper tablet and a 99.9% pure silver tablet which are being sold exclusively in limited edition through Home Shopping Korea. “I felt overwhelmed by watching the summit actually happening. So I decided to make something to commemorate and put the two leaders holding hands onto the image of the tablets. I hope my works will keep enliven the very moment for as long as they last” said Bae. 

40 years of single path as a surface treater
Bae jumped into the field of surface treatment from late 70s where surface treatment then was a rare term in Korea. He opened Kiyang Metal in 1985 and has made noteworthy contributions to industries of electronics, aerospace, defense and many more during which the company obtained one by one ISO14000 (environment), ISO9000 (quality), INNO-BIZ Promising SME, parts enterprise, venture enterprise, promising SME patent, and Muryangsu trade mark. Born in Yecheon County, North Gyeongsan Province, he majored in chemistry at Yeongju High School. Obtaining a chemical analysis certificate, he went to Seoul to work for a defense contractor. At the age 35, he took a course at JEI University in Incheon Metropolitan City, and obtained certificates of electric gilding and special gilding after which he carried on a further study in new materials engineering at Korea Polytechnic University where he obtained a master’s degree. In 2007, he became the Korea’s first master surface treater and in 2012 received the Order of Industrial Service Merit. 

Gold Meister
One of his great achievements undoubtedly is his Gold Meister often called as ‘immortal golden knife’ released by BMJ. Bae used 69 layered laminate materials to be treated in high temperature followed by the cryogenic heat treatment, the grinding and then the processing to finally complete the knife. “It is a combination of pure gold gilding titanium and eco-friendly nano-antibacterial treatment technique. This special knife is hygienic and keeps its color for a long time thanks to the ion plating technique.” BMJ has many product lines such as knives, scissors, ceramics, home appliances and interior props. All these products are treated with 99.9% pure silver which makes them highly preferable for gifts or the newly married.  

Fostering talented young surface treaters
Bae is an adjunct professor at Gyeonggi College of Science and Technology and teaching students at Hapdeok Metal High School. “For many young people, surface treatment is regarded as a should-be-avoided-profession due to the hard processes it requires. For this reason, many workers in the field are over 60 or foreigners. Yet we must know that surface treatment is a very important root industry and I’m determined to do my best to foster talented young surface treaters who will make a great contribution to the industry one day.”