Supportive Spirit
London-based global technology leader Laird (LRD) shares its growth strategy with British Ambassador to South Korea, Mr. Charles Hay M.V.O., when the ambassador visited Laird’s facility in Seoul, South Korea on May 11.
“The United Kingdom is home to many of the best high-tech companies in the world,” said Ambassador Hay. He adds, “I have seen today the outstanding innovation and capability that Laird provides, which will in turn give real added values to Korean companies. I am also delighted to see that U.K. Trade and Investment is supporting Laird’s exciting journey here.”
Model Solution, the facility that Ambassador Hay visited on the day, is one of Laird’s seven business units and located in Gasandong, Seoul. Using closely guarded processes, materials and a highly experienced engineering team, the facility designs and assembles advanced prototypes for mobile devices, wearables, and related accessories with a high level of precision. These production quality prototypes are produced and supplied to its customers, most of whom are the world’s most renown brands, under top-secret conditions within 7 days after getting the order.
In addition to this rapid prototyping capability, Laird’s facilities in Korea also offer high precision metal components and thermal materials for the mobile device market, wireless connectivity solutions for consumer and medical electronics markets, and vehicle connectivity solutions for the automotive market. Laird’s recent acquisition of Germany based Novero, makes it the leading global provider of end-to-end automotive connectivity services. And with the recent acquisition of US-based L.S. Research, Laird further expanded its capabilities in the embedded wireless and certification fields.
Laird’s commitment to Korea can also be seen by the expansion of Laird’s Business Design Center in Bucheon near Seoul. The facility enables Laird designers and engineers to provide Korean customers with rapid design solutions for its key industries, from automotive to mobile devices. This ensures Laird delivers innovative solutions with reliable fulfillment and speed to market.
“We are continuing to develop our presence and capability in Korea at pace, ensuring close ties with our growing customer base here,” says Thomas Rhee, president of Laird’s Korean operations. Rhee adds, “The interest that Ambassador Hay showed in our capabilities and our growth plans was inspiring. His visit is a true honour as the support provided by both the British and Korean Governments is key to our continued success and aggressive growth.”
Laird employs more than 7,000 people across 16 different locations in Asia including China, Vietnam, South Korea, and Malaysia, with nearly 500 people based at its Korean presence. For the last 6 months, Laird has opened up a new plant in Brazil in addition to acquiring German based automotive connectivity solutions provider Novero and US-based wireless connectivity provider L.S. Research. Through the two acquired tech companies, Laird is accelerating advancement of connectivity solution technologies which are critical for enterprise IoT.