DREAMTECH, Targeting Automotive and Health Care Sectors with Module Source Technologies

Seventy-seven-point-seven percent. That is the smart phone penetration rate expected in Korea by the end of 2017, according to Strategy Analytics. In other words, more than seven out of every ten Koreans use smart phones. The global smart phone penetration rate is also high - 43.8 percent. Although the smart phone market was predicted to become saturated, the penetration rate continues to rise due to cheap smart phone models. DREAMTECH(//www.idreamtech.co.kr) develops and produces various modules (PBA - Printed Board Assembly) used inside mobile phones, and it has been growing steadily since 2008. It also invests vigorously in new growth engines by combining PBA source technologies with new business areas.

The core products of DREAMTECH are smart phone PBAs. The lineup includes SUB PBA, sub-PBA integrating microphones and touch modules, sensor PBA and power key/volume key PBA, among others. As various components used in mobile phones are produced in the form of modules nowadays to fit into more compact and slimmer phones, DREAMTECH is expected to grow steadily in the future. Highly recognized for its technological prowess, the company currently supplies 30-40 percent of smart phone PBAs for large domestic conglomerates.

DREAMTECH CEO Kim Young-ho /Photo by Editor Song Ki-woo

Fingerprint-recognition modules, in which DREAMTECH has been investing since 2013, are among the company's core business areas. It has invested about 30 billion won so far, and boasts superb technologies. It also currently supplies more than 80 percent of OEM products manufactured by its major clients, to great response. CEO Kim Young-ho says that "DREAMTECH launched the development of fingerprint-recognition modules even before they became widespread, and that their sales are expected to be on par with high PBA sales this year."

Customized mass production in line with clients' needs is one of DREAMTECH's advantages. “We call it 'mass customization.' It's more than just mass production. We participate in the entire process, starting from product development, to meet the customers' needs.” says CEO Kim.

DREAMTECH has been actively trying expand in new business areas, such as the automotive business of electric and self-driving cars and health care with medical and surgical equipment, through the convergence of its source technologies, accumulated through the development of sub-PBAs, with traditional industries.

Merged with Uniquest Group in 2007, DREAMTECH plans to advance into the automotive sector along with another subsidiary, PLK Technology, develops and produces ADAS products based on camera image recognition technologies. One of the products that DREAMTECH aspires to develop for the automotive market is intelligent headlamps equipped with high-performance cameras that can detect obstacles in advance and increase brightness in those directions to prevent accidents.

In 2014, DREAMTECH began to invest in the healthcare sector by converging medical equipment and information technologies to develop wireless surgical and examination equipment to improve sanitation and simplify medical procedures. Also, the use of IT devices in surgical equipment is expected to enable hospitals to digitize and datafy.

Export prizes received by Dream Tech / Photo by editor Song Ki-woo

DREAMTECH invests 15-20 billion won annually in research and development and 25-40 billion won in facilities. The state-of-the-art solutions and chip purchasing power of Uniquest Group, the hardware development and production capacity of DREAMTECH and the software development expertise of PLK serve as a foundation for DREAMTECH's aggressive investment.

CEO Kim says that this year DREAMTECH "plans to expand its customer base in the existing PBA and fingerprint-recognition module markets, and focus on investing in and conducting research in new business areas."

By Editors Shin Jae-eun ([email protected]), Song Ki-woo