Moving Beyond Electric Heating Pads and Hot-Water Mats to AI Carbon Mats, Kiturami Co., Ltd. Targets the Heating Market

[Financial News]

As the domestic heating-mat market diversifies its product range from electric heating pads and hot-water mats to carbon mats, customized heating technology using artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a new competitive factor. Kiturami Boiler has shifted its business focus from hot-water mats to carbon mats and is targeting the winter heating market by diversifying its sales channels and incorporating AI technology.
According to industry sources on the 22nd, the domestic heating-mat market is shifting from a focus on heating performance toward enhanced safety, ease of maintenance, and customized temperature controls that take the sleep environment into account. Electric heating pads became popular thanks to their low prices and ease of use, while hot-water mats expanded the market by circulating hot water. More recently, carbon mats, which reduce maintenance inconveniences associated with hot-water mats, such as refilling water, leaks, and noise, have broadened consumers’ choices.
Kiturami Co., Ltd. responded to these market changes by ending its hot-water mat business and entering the carbon-mat market in 2020. It drew on heating technology developed through its existing boiler business while switching to carbon heating wires. Since then, the company has been developing carbon mats into a major heating product line alongside boilers.
The company is also making use of a variety of sales channels. Kiturami Co., Ltd. has sold carbon mats through the nationwide dealership network established through its existing boiler business, as well as online shopping malls and home shopping channels. Home shopping in particular has become a major sales channel. As of October last year, the cumulative number of customers placing orders through GS Home Shopping alone topped 30,000, and cumulative sales exceeded 12 billion won.
The company is stepping up sales through home shopping this year as well. This month, Kiturami Co., Ltd. scheduled a total of three carbon-mat sales broadcasts on GS Home Shopping and five on NS Shopping. It is using different sales channels for different product lines, offering premium products with enhanced AI features on GS Home Shopping and high-end products on NS Shopping.
Competition in the carbon-mat market is also changing. While heating performance and ease of maintenance were the main competitive factors in the early days, AI features that automatically adjust the temperature according to users’ sleep conditions are becoming increasingly important.
KyungDong Navien Co., Ltd. has also entered the competition this year, unveiling hot-water and carbon sleep mats featuring an AI Sleep Mode. The system analyzes sleep stages using breathing sounds detected by a smartphone and automatically adjusts the temperature accordingly.
Kiturami Co., Ltd. is also seeking to differentiate itself with its ‘2027 3rd-Generation Carbon Mat AI Ondol.’ Its key features are the ‘AI Sleep Control System’ and the ‘AI Smart Temperature System.’ The AI Sleep Control System analyzes the user’s preferred sleep temperature and usage time to automatically adjust the mat’s temperature.
The AI Smart Temperature System changes the heating status depending on whether the user leaves or returns to the mat. When the user gets off the mat, it switches to energy-saving operation; when the user returns, it goes back to the previous AI mode. The system controls the heating according to how the mat is being used without requiring the user to operate a remote control.
Kiturami Co., Ltd. has completed testing by the Korea Testing Certification Institute (KTC) on the accuracy of applying an optimal sleep temperature, calculating sleep duration, and detecting when users leave and return. It has also enhanced durability by using patented aramid carbon heating wires and conducting 800,000 bending tests.
The company is also expanding the range of applications for its carbon technology. Kiturami Co., Ltd. is targeting the heating market for products installed on floors and walls with Carbon Board Ondol, a building-heating material that uses carbon heating technology. The strategy is to extend carbon technology from bedding-style heating mats to building-heating materials.
A Kiturami spokesperson said, “Carbon mats are expanding competition by emphasizing ease of maintenance and precise temperature-control technology,” adding, “We plan to focus on improving our products’ competitiveness with AI technology while leveraging our carbon-mat sales base.”

[email protected] Kang Kyung-rae Reporter