Millinet Solar Wins $100 Mln Trade Award

Company chalks up $112.78 million in exports between July 2010 and June 2011, up 67 percent over the previous one-year period

Millinet Solar is a leader in the Korean solar photovoltaic (PV) industry. Established in 2005, Millinet Solar, the first multi-crystalline solar cell manufacturer in Korea, has come from strength to strength to log 147 billion won in sales in 2010 and to make itself a profitable company.
The company saw its PV production line capacity expanding from 100MW to 200MW in April 2011, and with the completion of its second production line with a capacity of 1GW, slated for 2012, Millinet Solar is striving to grow into a global PV leader with the goal of logging 1.7 trillion won in annual sales.
To this end, the company has churned out and exported high-efficiency multi-crystalline solar cells to 20 countries, including Germany, Italy, and Spain. Millinet Solar, gaining recognition for its superb quality and services abroad, won the $50 million Trade Award in 2010 and the $100 million Trade Award this year.
On top of exporting solar cells, Millinet Solar has established a global value chain ranging from ingots and wafers to PV modules and power generation systems under a strategy of securing a stable supply of raw materials and the production and shipment of finished products. Millinet Solar has dedicated a 30MW module production line within the Seongseo Industrial Complex in Daegu and established an incorporated company with a yearly production capability of 100MW in California. Starting in the second half of this year, Millinet Solar's operation in the United States is set to churn out solar cell modules and export them to Canada, Brazil and other South American markets.
Millinet Solar has devoted itself to playing leading roles in developing Korea into an energy importer from an energy exporter thanks to policy support under the government's green growth paradigm.
In 2010, Millinet Solar was presented with the $50 million export tower.
Chairman Lee Sang-chul won the 2010 Trade Businesspeople of the Year Award at the 2010 Trade Day award ceremony. Lee also received the Month of Trade Businessman with International Fame award from the Korea International Trade Association in October 2009. nw

Millinet Solar Chairman Lee Sang-chul
Photo on courtesy of Millinet Solar

An Order for KOTRA VP Oh

Citation covers Oh's contribution to building a base of support for SMEs'exports

Vice President Oh Seong-keun of the Korea Investment and Trade Promotion Agency (KOTRA) won the Order of Industrial Merit, Tin Tower award during the 48th Trade Day ceremony held on Dec. 12 at COEX in southern Seoul in recognition of his contribution to building a support base for SME exporters'global marketing activities as chief manager of Overseas Marketing for KOTRA since September 2010.
The KOTRA vice president helped launch the World Champ business to nurture SMEs toward becoming global businesses through the framework for tailor-made overseas export marketing strategies.
He also had his hands in the successful promotion of the Buy Korea 2011 campaign and took advantage of large international trade events such as the Shanghai International Expo to expand the export of new products from Korea, thus boosting the national brand of Korea around the world.
Oh also supported the support base for the overseas advancement of Korean exporters by building and operating the base for mutual overseas advancement and exploration of joint marketing needs for both large and small exporters from Korea and the systematic development of new business areas and support. He also took action to expand the environment for joint advancement for both large and small exporters through the forum for joint advancement overseas, collecting ideas and enabling discussions.
Oh also assiduously promoted the Buy Korea 2011 campaign to help over 1,000 Korean firms find overseas buyers for their products through large promotional events to stimulate exports. Oh also held export meetings to discuss imports as well as exports as Korea became a G-20 member nation.
He strengthened KOTRA's business contents to cope with issues related to mutual growth and economic events such as FTAs. nw

A view of KOTRA building in southern Seoul.