Hyundai Steel is expanding in the automotive industry and related markets as its hot stamped steel products are now featured in vehicles worldwide, including Renault Korea’s Grand Koleos. Previously, the company primarily supplied steel plates and hot stamped materials to automakers, but it has recently broadened its offerings to include automobile components made from such materials.
The pressing of hot stamped materials for the production of ultra-high strength car parts
Hot stamped parts are steel plates that undergo heating, press-molding, and cooling. These parts are widely used in car manufacturing, particularly to construct the cabin frame, which ensures passenger safety.
Since July of this year, Hyundai Steel has supplied Renault with 29 hot stamped parts of the 1.5Gpa grade for the third-generation Grand Koleos, Renault’s flagship SUV and the first vehicle under its Aurora Project for the Korean market. Hyundai Steel and Renault have maintained ongoing technical collaboration, culminating in a parts supplier contract won through a competitive bidding process in 2022. Hyundai Steel is now supplying parts for the production of 60,000 Grand Koleos units annually.
Renault’s Aurora Project aims to release three new vehicle models starting in the second half of this year. As a key supplier for the Grand Koleos, the first model under the project, Hyundai Steel anticipates securing similar contracts with other global automakers in the near future.
The partnership with Renault marks a significant milestone for Hyundai Steel, as it becomes the exclusive supplier of hot-stamped parts to a carmaker outside the Hyundai and Kia ecosystem. Renault’s rigorous selection process for parts suppliers, driven by the complex design requirements of the Grand Koleos, highlights the automaker’s confidence in Hyundai Steel’s production expertise.
Hyundai Steel’s journey in developing hot-stamped materials began in 2004. It launched its first production lines for automotive hot-stamped parts in 2009. Today, the steelmaker operates 31 production lines worldwide, solidifying its position as a leading supplier of high-performance steel products for the global automotive market.