© ACE Electronics

Today, we’ll introduce ACE Electronics, a leading provider of cordless vacuum cleaners. Let’s hear from company CEO Joo Young-jong. 

While engaging in trade business, I found that families in the U.S. had different types of vacuum cleaners for each room. I thought Korea would follow a similar trend and I wondered what kind of cleaning appliances I could produce at my own factory. Of course, various types of cleaners had already been available at the domestic market. Fortunately, large manufacturers weren’t very interested in cordless cleaners. Although cordless vacuum cleaners are more difficult and complicated to produce than corded ones, I believed that they would be a niche market product that a small company like us could target. 

Joo was originally the CEO of a trading firm. He achieved success with his business acumen, but he found himself hoping to challenge the manufacturing business. So he established ACE Electronics in 1997 and began to develop new products, with the focus placed on cordless vacuum cleaners. They were not very common at the time, but Joo, based on his extensive experience in overseas markets, was sure that this particular item would enable his small firm to compete with large companies. 

The first thing the company concentrated on was the design, because it was necessary to catch the eyes of consumers in order to raise its brand awareness that was rather low, compared to that of large companies. 

Most vacuum cleaners came in similar, easy-to-use designs. But our cordless product with a unique, attractive design could be placed in a living room at all times so it could be used easily whenever necessary, like when children drop cookie crumbs. For that purpose, I wanted to make the product look great. After consultation with designers, we came up with a cleaner shaped like a shark. I still think we made the right choice. My company has several “Good Design” products, including the one named “SSAKS,” which was inspired by a shark. 

ACE Electronics developed a new vacuum cleaner in cooperation with a design company, with an emphasis on taking full advantage of a cordless cleaner. The result was “SSAKS” that looked like a shark. Thanks to its charming design, the cleaning device can be put anywhere around the house, like a decoration for home interiors, unlike its alternatives that should be left out of sight after cleaning. 

On top of its appearance, the new cleaner’s two wings work like the gill of a shark. When sucking dust, the cleaner opens the two wings attached on each side at the same time to ensure that the air pressure inside the cleaner remains consistent. In the 2000s, SSAKS enjoyed an 80 percent share of the domestic cordless stick vacuum cleaner market. 

Having been selected as the Seoul Award Brand by the Seoul Business Agency, ACE Electronics have also explored overseas markets aggressively. 

© ACE Electronics

As a former importer, I was well aware of difficulties faced by local importers. I made a list of those difficulties, as I thought I could use them to increase exports of my products. We publicized our products on a monthly magazine of the Korea International Trade Association before we finished manufacturing them. That is, we promoted new products only with their designs first. When foreign buyers made inquiries about them, we explained that we were in the process of producing them and were looking for an exclusive buyer. Buyers then showed keen interest in the products. After the products were completed, we made a five-minute video about the products and sent it to buyers who had previously requested relevant data. We began to release and export our products in 1998. 

Since 1998, the company has been exporting to various countries including Japan, the U.S., Iran, Thailand and Indonesia. Its products have received great recognition both at home and abroad for their quality. 

Product quality has been the company’s biggest concern since its foundation. When I first tried to export to Japan, Japanese buyers brought eight samples, including Chinese ones, to test their performance. They asked us to lower the price of our product, but we refused. They said, “Sorry, but we decided to import the Chinese one.” Three months later, they came back. It turned out that the Chinese product had numerous flaws. Without ensuring quality, we cannot sell products anywhere, whether it is inside or outside Korea. 

If even the slightest flaw is discovered in the production process, ACE Electronics suspends the process immediately and inspects every part of the production. 

This incurs a considerable financial loss but the company manages product quality strictly, in the belief that it will lose everything if it loses quality. 

The company listens carefully to the voices of consumers, constantly examining their complaints. It applied the method of opening air outlets on both sides of the vacuum cleaner for the first time in the world to enhance efficiency in air flow and remedy the shortcomings of the weak suction power of previous models. In addition, the cleaner’s comfortable grip was ergonomically designed, while its noise and vibration have been minimized. In this way, the company has improved product performance to reach out to many more consumers. 

Small-and mid-sized firms are often underestimated, which I think is very frustrating. I hope many consumers will be convinced of the quality and cost-effectiveness when they think of ACE Electronics. To this end, every department of our company, including the research institute, will put a great deal of effort into producing high-quality products that would satisfy consumers and providing excellent customer services as well. We hope to have customers spread the word that ACE Electronics is a small but great company. 

With a goal of maximizing customer satisfaction, ACE Electronics tries its best to create amazing and reliable products. It would be fair to say that the company is indeed the “ace” in the cleaning products industry.