KNF Tries to Tap Overseas Markets by Making Most of Its High-Quality Production Capabilities
Company has built the KIPS (KEPCO NF Innovative Production System), based on experiences and technology power the company has accumulated
A general view of KEPCO Nuclear Fuel headquarters in Daejeon. (Photos: KNF)
President Jeong Sang-bong of KEPCO Nuclear Fuel (KNF).
KEPCO Nuclear Fuel (KNF), the nation¡¯s sole nuclear fuel company, carries out the design and production of nuclear fuel of high quality based on certifications such as the international quality management system ISO9001 and the eco-friendly system ISO14001 as well as its own production innovation system (KIPS).
In 1988, KNF introduced an overseas nuclear quality guarantee system. Since then, the company has reinvented it on a continuous fashion.
The regime has been evolving, reflecting the Act on Nuclear Safety of Korea, foreign guidelines and certification conditions.
For instance, KNF¡¯s own strenuous efforts without outside consulting had borne fruit: obtaining the international quality certification ISO9001 in 1997 to build foundation for quality management and customer satisfaction. KNF has carried out companywide quality management activities as the company also obtained the ISO9001:2000 in 2002, the ISO9001:2008 in 2009 and the ISO9001:2015 this year.
KNF has built the KIPS (KEPCO NF Innovative Production System), based on experiences and technology power the company has accumulated. The KIPS is a high-efficiency, low-cost production system designed to produce nuclear fuel with the world¡¯s top quality and performance, but with no fault.
The company implements six circle initiatives, including equipment management, quality management, safety management, radwaste management and capability management. The company plans to upgrade the KIPS into a technology development idea platform to spearhead the 4th Industrial Revolution.
It aims to realize a vision of developing informatization technologies among systems and building a smart factory, a concentration of advanced multidisciplinary and convergence technologies such as utilization of AI and big data. The move is designed to help KNF secure future competitiveness.
KNF proposing international standards on its own is drawing attention in global nuclear power circles. The company submitted two proposals, including the one on regression analysis correction, which both were later selected as international standards.
A technology to reduce radwaste volumes and a radwaste management process KNF have developed are in a process of making them international standards.
KNF is striving to explore overseas markets beyond the Korean market. KNF has exported nuclear core nuclear fuel components and parts to countries such as the United States and Brazil since the early 2000s. In 2011, KNF exported nuclear fuel cladding and production equipment as well as nuclear fuel service equipment to the United States and China. KNF is devoting itself to exploring foreign markets as an energy public entity by making the most of its high quality production capabilities.
KNF President Jeong Sang-bong said, ¡°(We at KNF) will make all-out efforts to supply high quality nuclear fuel through KNF¡¯s endless quality management efforts as the nation¡¯s sole nuclear fuel design and production company.¡±