Expansion of Global Network
Mayor of Gumi city, Nam Yu-jin, recently made a visit to Germany in an effort to build a global network for the carbon material industry and returned on June 19 with fruitful outcomes. The visit is also expected to open the door for Gumi’s young job seekers in advanced European countries.
Mayor Nam headed the city’s economic mission comprised of representatives of 12 local businesses and economy-related institutions to Germany, where he pushed ahead with projects to develop the carbon industry and strengthen civilian economic cooperation particularly by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the MAI Carbon Cluster, a consultative body of carbon-related global firms such as in automobile or airplane sector.
The other substantial results achieved by the economic mission include participating in the convention held at CFK-Valley (carbon fiber cluster) on behalf of the nation, presenting a vision of developing the city’s carbon fiber industry, signing an MOU with the Fraunhofer Institute in Bremen for development of join research projects, mutual exchange of researchers, and commercialization of research findings in the areas of composite materials, 3D printing, and electric vehicles.
Gumi City is stressing the establishment of a global network to promote the carbon industry as the biggest outcome achieved during the visit to Germany. In particular, Mayor Nam delivered the keynote speech as a special guest of the partner country at the opening ceremony of the CFK-Valley convention, which was attended by 39 businesses and 450 individuals from 21 countries. There were also plenary lectures given by the Gyeongbuk Creative Economy and Innovation Center and Gumi Electronics & Information Technology Research Institute. In addition, the local city ran a separate exhibition hall in an effort to strengthen a global position in the carbon industry and attract investments in the local companies which own source technologies.
At present, the project of “Establishment of Convergence and Integration Cluster for Carbon Molding” in Gumi is under preliminary feasibility assessment by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance. A wide range of other efforts are also made to position Gumi City as the hub of the carbon material industry in relation with the coming 1.6 trillion won investment in Gumi National Industrial Complex 5 by Toray. Under the circumstance, Gumi City expects the establishment of a strong business network made during this time’s visit to Germany will empower the city to have another momentum for the takeoff of the industry.
In addition, as a result of its steady efforts to push ahead with exchanges through a trade cooperation office which opened in March last year in Germany, the city came to see the designation of “Tag der Gumi City (Day of Gumi City)” in Wolfsburg city, which was strongly backed up by WAG (Wolfsburg AG) that is responsible for supplying car parts to Volkswagen. On the day, there was a briefing session to explain the investment environment of Gumi City, targeting around 30 carbon fiver or automotive companies that want to make inroads into the Asian market.
In particular, Gunnar Merz, CEO of CFK Valley of which Gumi City is a regular member, Elge Brown, deputy mayor of Wolfsburg, and Oliver Syring, CEO of WAG in person promoted the investment suitability of Gumi with which they have formed a close relationship over more than five years, contributing to boosting the trust in investment in the city by German businessmen.
In addition, to create more jobs for local young people, the city signed a commitment letter on an internship program of creating overseas jobs for youth with the Workers Welfare Institution (or Die Arbeiterwohlfahrt, AWO) that was founded in 1913. As a result, about 10 young people who live in Gumi will be offered the internship program through the AWO starting from November.