Hyundai's HQ a sprawling, evolving place

By Clare Dear, Postmedia News October 14, 2011

The Hyundai brand, with sales in Canada continuing to set monthly and yearly records, is at a pivotal point in its history. It has succeeded in shaking the quality issues that once plagued its products, now ranking with the best in the industry. Its next goal is to move the brand upmarket, though not in the conventional sense.

As Frank Ahrens, director of Hyundai's global PR team, explained this week during a tour of the company's homeland facilities, the Korean automaker is not only committed to maintaining the high level of quality but considers it's time to develop a more upscale image. Although it already has premium models in its lineup, such as its Genesis and Equus sedans, Hyundai wants to bring some of those luxury elements to its less-expensive models, Ahrens says.

Just because a car is priced as an entry-level model, he says, that doesn't mean it can't have some of the amenities that are common in more expensive cars. For a company that's building its success on delivering great value at any price point, this latest strategy fits well.

The place where such ideas will be put into practice is the company's research and development centre here in Namyang. This sprawling facility, which spills over reclaimed land that would easily accommodate 500 football fields, is the cradle for all Hyundai vehicles. It's also the birthplace of models by Hyundai's sister company Kia, although, once the common platforms and powertrains have been engineered, there's no further "sharing."

In fact, the next step in bringing a new product to life - the design development of the exterior and interior - becomes very private.

Lee Byung Seob, the director of Hyundai's styling group and design centre, was crystal clear when asked if he and Peter Schreyer, his counterpart at Kia, ever exchanged thoughts about product design.

"No, I don't communicate with him," he responded bluntly. It didn't sound as though they even exchange Christmas cards.

In addition to developing new technologies, such as solar-cell sunroofs and "Nano" windshield glass that will minimize the need for wipers, Lee and his team create new products. The process starts with visualizing the design through interior and exterior sketches. The next step is digital modelling, where the smallest details are added to determine feasibility. And, finally, there's the building of full-sized clay models and hand-built interiors that bring the car to life.

The Namyang centre, however, is more than a design facility, although approximately 500 designers are among the 10,000 people working there. There are three districts within the centre, with the design team, engineering (which employs 1,500 staff engineers, plus another 1,500 guest engineers) and powertrain development (which has about 2,000 engineers on staff, including 108 with doctorate degrees) all working in District A. District B is comprised of a wind tunnel facility and hot/cold chambers to test products in extreme temperature conditions. The third district includes a pilot production centre, where assembly techniques for new models are tested, as well as a crash testing facility.