Now it’s time to take a close look at a small but competitive business making a difference for the Korean economy. This week’s spotlight is on Hanil Patech, maker of premium hair dryers.

Almost everyone in the industrialized world uses a hair dryer at least once a day. It’s an indispensable part of personal grooming for modern man, which is why the competition in the global hair dryer market is growing fiercer. Today, we’re going to look into Hanil Patech, a small business that accounted for 30% of Korea’s hair dryer export as of 2010. The company was established back in 2008 and it has taken only about five years to make its mark in the world hair dressing industry. Let’s talk to its CEO Oh Kyung-soo오경수 to find out the secrets to its success.

Hanil Patech manufactures small hair styling tools for both the domestic and overseas markets. My father has been running Hanil Patech’s predecessor Hanil Electronics since 1978. I joined my father’s company in 2006 and learned his business know-how and management philosophy, which he formed over 35 years. For around three years I learned every aspect of the business, from product development to production, and finally gained enough confidence to challenge the world market. That’s how Hanil Patech came to be.

Hanil Patech was built upon Hanil Electronics, which had carved out a place for itself in the hair styling appliance industry with dedication and craftsmanship. What is so interesting about Hanil Patech is that it had its eyes set on exporting from the very beginning. So how much of its goal did Hanil Patech fulfill?

We sell to the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and various European countries. We produce a little more than 200 different models. Some are fit for Korean or Japanese consumers, while some are localized for western markets. A wide selection of hair dryers is what makes us more competitive. Using the know-how accumulated over 35 years, we try to make safer and sturdier products through continuous research and development efforts. We keep developing products that utilize cutting-edge technologies, which is why our products are so popular among local and foreign buyers.

Hanil Patech products are given due recognition in advanced nations like the U.S., Australia, the U.K., and Canada. There is only one reason why the hair styling tools from a small business in Korea are so popular in the global market – superior product quality. Manufacturing hair dryers is harder than it looks. A hair dryer may look simple, but roughly 70 different parts go into making one. Its features and functions differ depending on where it is used, whether it be in a hair salon, at a home, or in a hotel. Based on the experience of Hanil Electronics, Hanil Patech invests 10 to 20% of its annual revenue to research and development in order to provide the global market with high-quality products.

You will see how lightweight our product is when you handle it. Our latest hairdryer model is about 5 to 10% lighter than our previous products or other hairdryers. It’s also 5% quieter and we have reduced vibration considerably. In terms of wind speed, it’s about 1.2 times stronger than other hairdryers, making the job of hairdressers that much easier. Recently, we’ve developed and produced the eco-friendly BLDC motor used in aircraft and printers, and started exporting to Japan. The most important component inside a hairdryer determining its noise or vibration is its wind blades. The balance of the blades determines the wind speed and reduces noise and vibration. So we use a balancing machine to calibrate each hairdryer and improve product quality and performance. To my knowledge, no other hairdryer maker in Korea uses a balancing machine to make adjustments. We try to make steady investments to make the very best products.

Hanil Patech celebrates only its sixth anniversary this year, but already has some 200 different models in its lineup. In particular, its latest SP-2200 series is earning the attention of buyers everywhere, because the BLCD motor, which used to be installed in planes and air conditioners, is now fitted into hair dryers. This makes drying time 2.5 times shorter. Also, for the first time in Korea, a balancer is employed to reduce the noise and vibration of hairdryers. Hanil Patech is also striving to develop products that best suit the needs of each user group. For instance, hairdryers for professional hairdressers are lightweight, yet provide strong wind and are quite durable. Under the leadership and vision of Hanil Patech’s CEO Oh Kyung-soo, its R&D department is working day and night to win a wider recognition of the global market

My father has always told me that there is no compromise when it comes to quality. This is a principle I have to stick to as I lead the company into the next generation. There are a number of hairdryer makers in Korea and most of them outsource production to China. So our products are not competitive price-wise, but I can vouch for our product quality. Japan and Italy are leaders in the global hairdressing industry, and one of the reasons we can win export contracts in those countries is because our products are of superior quality, better than Italian or Japanese made ones. Also, our hairdryers are a little more affordable than those manufactured in those countries, so we have an edge in pioneering new overseas markets. I expect to see our revenue grow even more, and my dream of a 30% global market share will soon come true.