SK On earns Ford’s top quality certification; Hungary plant secures Q1 two years after launch

[Financial News] SK On has secured Ford’s top-tier quality certification just two years after its plant in Iváncsa, Hungary, began operations. Following the stabilization of production, the company has demonstrated the competitiveness of its European battery production hub by meeting the stringent manufacturing and quality standards of a global automaker. The achievement is seen as the result of proactive quality management systems at headquarters and the local plant.
SK On said on the 7th that it had held a ceremony at its plant in Iváncsa, Hungary, on the 6th (local time) to present Ford’s Q1 Certification (Q1 Award), and had received the Q1 certification.
Ford’s Q1 Certification is its highest-tier quality certification, awarded to outstanding sites after a comprehensive assessment of suppliers of parts and raw materials, including their production technology, product quality, quality improvement efforts, and manufacturing and quality management systems. Q1 embodies Ford’s management philosophy that “Quality is Job 1.”
Since beginning mass production in the second quarter of 2024, SK On’s Iváncsa plant has focused on stabilizing production and strengthening its quality competitiveness. Having received Ford’s top quality certification about two years after commercial operations began, it is now recognized as having met the manufacturing and quality standards of a global automaker.
SK On underwent Ford’s evaluation for Q1 certification from late last year through the first half of this year. During the review, Ford highly praised SK On for using an advanced quality management system to prevent nonconforming products from being delivered and to identify and address potential quality risks in advance.
This was attributed in particular to stronger systems for headquarters and the local plant to share quality data and proactively manage risk factors, which helped quickly stabilize quality in the early stages of mass production.
Kim Seong-sik, head of SK On’s European subsidiary, said, “Receiving this Q1 Award is the result of our headquarters and local employees working together with quality as our top priority. We will continue to improve and manage quality proactively to strengthen the manufacturing and quality competitiveness of SK On’s Hungary plant and actively live up to our customers’ trust.”
The Iváncsa plant is SK On’s third battery production hub in Hungary, following its first and second plants in Komárom. Construction began in the third quarter of 2021, and commercial operations started in the second quarter of 2024. The plant has an annual production capacity of 30 GWh.
SK On’s total annual production capacity in Hungary, combining the 7.5 GWh capacity of its first Komárom plant and 10 GWh at its second, reaches 47.5 GWh. It is one of the company’s key production bases serving the European electric vehicle market.
SK On is also deepening its ties with the local community. In recognition of the plant’s contribution to the local economy and industry, the city of Iváncsa named the approximately 1.8-kilometer stretch of road from the entrance to Iváncsa Industrial Park to the SK On plant’s main gate “SK ut” (“SK Road”) in November 2024.

[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter