61 Korean Materials, Parts and Equipment Companies, Including Those Meeting Stellantis and GM, Seek Greater Access to U.S. Supply Chains

[Financial News] Korean materials, parts and equipment companies whose technological capabilities have earned recognition are seeking to expand their entry into the supply chains of major U.S. manufacturers.
On the 11th, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said it had hosted '2026 Global Partnership (GP)-USA' in Chicago for two days starting on the eighth local time to support Korean materials, parts and equipment companies in joining global supply chains. A total of 61 Korean companies attended the event and held supply-chain cooperation consultations with 20 leading U.S. manufacturers.
The GP program is one of KOTRA's flagship export-support initiatives, designed around the strengths of Korea's materials, parts and equipment sector. It is part of a strategy to expand a virtuous cycle of exports and investment between South Korea and the United States through cooperation in manufacturing and materials, parts and equipment. The goal is to help Korean companies enter the supply chains of global manufacturers with annual sales of more than $100 million.
This year's GP USA expanded its areas of cooperation beyond automobiles and machinery to manufacturing AI and automation, responding to increased manufacturing investment and demand for supply-chain restructuring.
At the South Korea-U.S. business consultation event held on the ninth, more than 20 buyers from commercial vehicles, power and automation sectors, as well as leading U.S. automobile, heavy-equipment and agricultural-machinery manufacturers such as Stellantis, GM and CNH, held more than 200 one-on-one consultations with 61 Korean materials, parts and equipment companies.
For this partnering event, KOTRA identified the actual purchasing and technology needs of U.S. companies several months in advance, matched them with Korean companies and arranged B2B (business-to-business) consultation opportunities.
A Stellantis representative said, "We are looking for Korean battery-materials and equipment companies with competitive capabilities in the secondary-battery sector. Since we were able to connect with technologically capable Korean companies and hold substantive business meetings, we will continue with follow-up consultations."
KOTRA plans to continue providing follow-up support, including additional consultations, to turn the cooperation needs identified through the event into actual exports and supply-chain entry.
KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung said, "As manufacturing investment, automation and supply-chain restructuring accelerate in the United States, demand for cooperation with Korean materials, parts and equipment companies that have solid competitiveness is growing. We will systematically strengthen our support so that the demand identified through this program can expand the links between companies from the two countries in supply chains, joint development and investment."
[email protected] Kim Hak-jae Reporter