▲ MPPT / CEO Hong Min-kyu

R&D on alternative chemicals such as cobalt and hydrofluoric acid

Japan’s export control to South Korea in 2019 raised awareness on importance of domestic parts, materials and chemicals industries. Rising to attention amid this sudden surprise and struggle is MPPT that is challenging localization of surface treatment chemicals. 

Plating is a surface treatment process necessary in making cars, semiconductor and electricity. It covers the surface with thin protective films made of zinc, nickel or chromium to prevent corrosion or for decoration purpose. Plating needs chemicals and these chemicals are mostly imported from Japan, Germany, France and the US.

Established 4 years ago, MPPT is growing fast in sales by localization of these chemicals. The company obtained Root Enterprise and Venture Enterprise certifications for excellent techniques in the field. 

 

Localization

“I majored in advanced materials engineering and my father ran a plating business. So it was natural for me to jump in the field. But it was when Japan took the export control that I started to see importance of localization of the chemicals. Like one thing leads to another, I engaged both academically and industrially here and there and eventually came to establish my own business.” says MPPT CEO Hong Min-kyu. 

 

Customized chemicals for needs and wants

A plating process goes through pre-treatment, plating and post-treatment. The quality is only guaranteed when there is not a single fault in all three processes. 

“Plating is like make-up. If you don’t wash your face thoroughly before applying cosmetics, you cannot expect a good result. Like make-up goes through a number of stages of application, plating goes through three steps which must be flawless for a product to be perfect.” says Hong.

MPPT has alkaline and acidic degreasers that are needed for plating. Also has is zincate additive, acidic and alkaline zinc nickel plating additives, and polish alongside producing chromate coating agent. 

The company’s zinc nickel alloy plating chemicals, in particular, are widely used such as in car parts, electrical parts, defense parts and industrial machine parts. They are used in acidic conditions and boasts faster plating speed than the existing alkaline alloy chemicals. Its corrosion resistance is more than 2,000 hours compared to the 1,000 standard hours as proven at a SST(Salt Spray Test). MPPT runs also 8 pilot plating lines for test of developed chemicals. 

“We make chemicals with our own technique through optimized step by step process, offer customized products according to needs and wants, carry out tests before releasing the products, and provide excellent after-care services.” says Hong.

 

ESG

In accordance with ESG trend, MPPT focuses on eco-friendly surface treatment chemicals especially such as cobalt and hexavalent chromium that are not contained with heavy metals. 

Cobalt takes a big part in battery and the price is rising sharply alongside increasing number of electric cars. So MPPT focused on alternative chemicals to expensive cobalt while raising eco-friendliness with cost effectiveness.

“We are focusing on eco-friendly chemicals that do not contain heavy metals, blue soda and hydrofluoric acid substances.” says Hong.

MPPT is an official partner of PAVCO, an American chemical company. So MPPT circulates PAVCO products and also produces products through OEM. What this means is that the company has global level production facilities and technical knowhow from PAVCO. 

Bringing innovation to surface treatment

“Experts at MPPT gather information of chemicals and make them into data and standardized manuals. We also do samplings of plating films from our client companies and provide analysis reports.” says Hong.

When asked about a future plan, Hong says, “We are working on export channels to Vietnam, India and Japan. MPPT will keep pushing forward its technical knowhow and zeal to answer to all demands of our clients.”

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