E-beam Inspection Equipment Maker Ssec Clears Preliminary KOSDAQ Listing Review

SEC, a leader in electron beam technology, passes preliminary review for KOSDAQ listing, signaling strengthened market leadership with a full-scale IPO. SEC, a specialized company in electron beam-based inspection equipment, has successfully passed a critical hurdle for KOSDAQ listing, thereby fully commencing its initial public offering (IPO) process. A new leap forward is anticipated for SEC, which has led the industrial inspection and analysis equipment market since its establishment in 2000, based on its unique original electron beam technology. SEC is a key partner in advanced manufacturing sectors, including the semiconductor and battery industries. Specifically, it has demonstrated its technological prowess by supplying X-ray inspection equipment that precisely detects defects in semiconductor and battery production processes, as well as non-destructive inspection equipment for fields requiring high reliability, such as defense, aerospace, and shipbuilding. Its desktop scanning electron microscopes (SEM) for R&D and quality control are also utilized in various industrial sites, adding to their value. SEC's presence in the market is clearly demonstrated by figures. From 2019 to 2023, X-ray inspection equipment for semiconductors recorded cumulative sales of 92.3 billion KRW, showcasing overwhelming competitiveness. Keeping pace with the surging demand in the electric vehicle and energy storage system (ESS) markets, battery X-ray inspection equipment has also been supplied to the tune of approximately 26 billion KRW, maintaining rapid growth. In fact, SEC recorded an astonishing average annual growth rate of 30.4% from 2021 to 2023, with industrial X-ray inspection equipment accounting for over 60% of total sales, driving this growth. Behind this success lies SEC's proprietary core original technology. It has established a unique competitive advantage by securing not only vertical integration technology for directly producing X-ray tubes and linear accelerators (LINAC), which are core components of electron beam generators, but also automation equipment design and manufacturing technology, and deep learning-based automatic defect detection technology. Expansion into the global market is also a crucial strategy for SEC. It is targeting the global market through 40 overseas agencies, including its Shanghai subsidiary in China, and has maintained a high export ratio of approximately 50% annually over the past three years. Kim Jong-hyun, CEO of SEC, stated his ambition, saying, "The funds raised through this KOSDAQ listing will be intensively invested in strengthening R&D capabilities, expanding facility investments, and proactive business expansion," and added, "We will lead innovation in the inspection equipment market based on our original electron beam technology and leap forward as a global leader." SEC is expected to continue opening up the future of the advanced industrial inspection equipment market through relentless technological innovation.