LG Strengthens Advanced Materials Business With Launch of Antimicrobial Glass Powder
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By News Reporter
Digital signage is an essential tool for connecting and communicating with key stakeholders across various environments, including retail, hospitality, healthcare and corporate sectors. This technology delivers dynamic and customized content to captivate, entertain and inform audiences. To maximize the value of these versatile B2B products, innovative companies like LG have introduced cloud-based content management solutions, providing clients with a new level of control and convenience.
According to a
link hidden, please login to view conducted by Grand View Research, the digital transformation solution market is expected to record a compound annual growth rate of 30.8 percent by 2030, driven largely by the increasing adoption and investment in cloud technology. Cloud-based content management solutions enable companies to administer their digital content – and the digital signage that displays it – from almost anywhere, significantly reducing time, hassle and costs. Further streamlining business operations, some solutions now incorporate AI and data analytics to measure advertising performance and create content tailored to target audiences. Following this trend, many system integrator companies have started to offer services relating to the installation and management of cloud software for digital signage. Several of LG’s successful cloud-based solution implementations have been led by (WAND), a U.S.-based digital display and content management software provider and systems integrator primarily serving the food service market. WAND, which boasts many notable clients, leverages LG’s webOS-based digital signage and LG Business Cloud. This platform offers straightforward setup and a wide range of options for diverse business sectors, simplifying the purchasing and application of LG digital signage management software. By implementing LG Business Cloud solutions, WAND’s customers have achieved greater scalability and efficiency in their operations while simultaneously enjoying an enhanced digital signage management experience.
The winner of an InfoComm 2024 Best of Show award from AV Technology magazine, is a one-stop platform that offers an array of software solutions to meet B2B customers’ various digital signage and content management needs. These include the LG SuperSign Cloud digital signage content management system (CMS), and LG Pro:Centric Cloud, a CMS designed for hotel TVs. Pro:Centric Cloud fosters a guest-friendly environment by enabling tailored customer service and the creation of personalized content for in-room displays.
In addition, the platform features the LG ConnectedCare remote management solution (RMS), which lets users manage and monitor the performance of their LG digital signage products remotely, sending instant alert notifications if an error is detected. Another outstanding solution offered on the platform is LG DOOH Ads, LG’s commercial display advertising solution. These convenience-enhancing solutions save businesses valuable time, as they can now be easily purchased through LG Business Cloud. Previously, customers had to navigate to each solution’s official website or webpage to make a purchase.
Moreover, LG Business Cloud lets users take advantage of trial licenses and tutorial videos for every solution offered on the platform.1 After purchasing a license from the LG Business Cloud website, customers can seamlessly connect their licenses to their digital signage and immediately begin using their newly acquired management solutions without any additional steps.
By providing all the essential tools needed to simplify and streamline content and display management, LG Business Cloud helps B2B customers maximize the potential of their LG digital signage.
To learn more about LG’s cloud-based B2B solutions, visit .2
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1 Trial licenses and tutorial videos are services provided to registered members.
2 Purchasing solutions on LG Business Cloud is currently available in the U.S., with plans to gradually expand to other regions.
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By News Reporter
Company to Leverage Lighthouse Factory Expertise
to Develop Future-Oriented Business Models
SEOUL, July 18, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) is advancing its smart factory solutions business by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation (DX) with its extensive 66-year history of manufacturing and production expertise.
The Ultimate Fusion of AI and Manufacturing Capabilities
Earlier this year, LG officially entered the smart factory solutions market. The Production engineering Research Institute (PRI), which has been enhancing production and manufacturing competitiveness for LG Group affiliates, is now extending its expertise to external clients. Services offered include production consulting, development of equipment and operation systems and training for technology personnel.
Despite being in its inaugural year, the business has already achieved significant milestones. PRI anticipates securing orders worth approximately KRW 200 billion from external clients for its smart factory solutions.
Major clients include secondary battery manufacturers, automotive parts manufacturers and logistics companies. LG plans to aggressively expand into industries with rapidly growing factory demand, such as semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and food and beverage. The goal is to develop the smart factory solutions business into a multi-trillion KRW enterprise by 2030, excluding revenue generated within the LG Group.
According to market research firm
link hidden, please login to view, the global smart factory market is projected to grow from USD 155.61 billion this year to USD 268.46 billion by 2030. 770TB of Manufacturing Data and Over 1,000 Patents
LG has accumulated vast amounts of manufacturing data and know-how through 66 years of factory design, construction and operation. In the past decade alone, the company has amassed 770 terabytes (TB) of manufacturing and production data, equivalent to storing approximately 197,000 high-definition movies (assuming each movie is 4GB). The company’s competitive edge also lies in its various core production technologies essential for smart factory configuration, with PRI filing over 1,000 patents related to smart factory solutions. LG aims to set its smart factory solutions apart by integrating its extensive manufacturing data and expertise with AI and DX, leveraging world-class production technologies. These smart factory solutions encompass production system design, monitoring and operation through Digital Twin technology; big data and generative AI-based management of quality, industrial safety and equipment; and the provision of various industrial robots.
Production Efficiency Directly Linked to Business Profitability
Smart factory solutions focus on minimizing even the briefest delays or minute errors between processes. Since efficiency in production is directly linked to the overall profitability of the business, enhancing it is crucial. For example, at LG’s refrigerator production line in Changwon, a refrigerator is produced every 13 seconds. A 10-minute delay in the production line would result in a production shortfall of 50 refrigerators. Assuming the price of one refrigerator is KRW 2 million, a 10-minute delay translates to a loss of KRW 100 million.
This impact is even more significant for products with faster production speeds.* Therefore, solutions that minimize delays across processes – from the seamless supply of multiple components to assembly, packaging and inspection – are essential.
Comprehensive Production Solutions Covering the Entire Journey
LG approaches the smart factory business not just as unit solutions for specific areas but as comprehensive solutions covering the entire journey for clients, from factory planning to design, construction and operation. Considering the client’s environment and industry characteristics, the company diagnoses existing factories and identifies areas for improvement, establishing a step-by-step roadmap from automation, informationization and intelligence perspectives to maximize investment effectiveness.
Digital Twin Solution for All Value Chain
The production system design and operation solutions leverage real-time simulations using Digital Twin technology. Before the factory is built, a virtual replica identical to the real factory is created, allowing clients to preview the production and logistics flow. This enables optimal efficiency in factory design.
During the operational phase, analyzing real-time data helps detect bottlenecks, defects and malfunctions in the production line in advance, thereby contributing to productivity improvement.
Autonomous Mobile Robots and Collaborative Robots
LG’s various industrial robot solutions for factory automation offer significant advantages. The Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) is equipped with cameras, radar and LiDAR sensors to recognize its surroundings and supply parts and materials. It navigates effectively, avoiding workers and obstacles through autonomous driving.
The Mobile Manipulator (MM), which combines a multi-joint robotic arm with an AMR, can automate a range of tasks seamlessly. It is capable of diverse actions such as assembly, defect inspection and transporting parts and materials. Additionally, it can replace the batteries of nearby AMRs when they run low.
Generative AI Solutions for Easy Anomaly Diagnosis
Solutions that assist in managing yield rates and ensuring the smooth operation of equipment are also highly beneficial. Sensors installed throughout the factory detect abnormal signals such as vibrations and noise caused by equipment aging or lack of lubrication. Big data is then used to determine the causes and recommend corrective actions.
Generative AI based on large language models allows for easy use through voice commands. For example, saying “abnormal vibration in equipment A at 2 p.m.” records the abnormal signal on the server. A command like “show recent abnormal vibrations and corrective actions” provides a list of defect types and previous corrective actions in order of likelihood.
Additionally, LG has developed a real-time detection system powered by Vision AI. This system learns the factory’s normal operating conditions and detects anomalies such as temperature fluctuations and defects. It also enhances factory safety management by identifying workers who are not properly wearing safety helmets or work vests.
Expediting the Development of a Future-Oriented Business Model by Harnessing Lighthouse Factory Expertise
LG’s intelligent autonomous factories in Changwon, South Korea, and Tennessee, USA, have been recognized as Lighthouse Factories by the World Economic Forum. Following the implementation of smart factory solutions, productivity at the Changwon plant increased by 17 percent, energy efficiency improved by 30 percent, and quality costs due to defects were reduced by 70 percent. Within the LG Group, production facilities at over 60 locations in 40 regions worldwide are applying solutions from PRI.
Leveraging this internally and externally validated smart factory expertise for business ventures holds significant meaning in terms of commercializing intangible assets. LG is driving a transformation of its business portfolio, which has traditionally focused on production of hardware, by integrating software and solutions into a future-oriented structure. This approach is expected to significantly contribute to the rapid growth of the company’s B2B sector, one of the three key growth drivers in LG’s 2030 Future Vision, especially as it targets numerous external corporate clients.
“We will offer optimal smart factory solutions at every stage – from planning and design to construction and operation – becoming the ideal partner that supports our clients throughout their entire production journey,” said Jeong Dae-hwa, head of LG PRI.
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* Unit for production speed is parts per million (PPM).
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LG Establishes New Air Solution R&D Lab in Europe, Strengthening HVAC Business Localization StrategyBy News Reporter
New Facility to Focus on Development of Innovative HVAC Solutions
Tailored to Europe’s Diverse Regional Climates
SEOUL, July 15, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) is establishing a new Air Solution Research and Development (R&D) Lab in Frankfurt, Germany. The state-of-the-art facility will join existing LG Air Solution Labs in Changwon, South Korea; and Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to form a global R&D triangle.
The new 10,000-square-foot lab will focus primarily on developing high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions for Europe’s varied local climates. Research and testing will be carried out on a wide range of residential and light commercial HVAC systems, including heat pumps, energy monitoring systems and energy management platforms. Through executing an extensive, locally-focused R&D program, the Frankfurt lab will reinforce LG’s ability to provide HVAC solutions tailored for the European market.
Additionally, the new lab will collaborate with the company’s recently launched European Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research to develop heat pumps that can reliably deliver top-tier heating performance during Northern Europe’s harsh winters. To strengthen the capabilities of its European HVAC business, LG plans to nurture and actively recruit local talent in fields such as heat pump design and smart home technology.
A major focus for LG, the European HVAC market is expected to see significant growth in the coming years due to the European Union’s (EU) far-reaching energy policies. These include the REPowerEU* plan, which aims to reduce energy consumption, diversify energy supply, expand renewable energy sources and decrease dependence on fossil fuels by 2030. Moreover, the EU-led Green Deal policy targets significant reductions in carbon emissions by 2030, with further reductions by 2040, to achieve a carbon-neutral society by 2050.
The EU’s energy policies have significantly increased the demand for high-efficiency electrical products, particularly high-efficiency heat pump heating and cooling systems. These systems offer reduced carbon emissions compared to conventional fossil-fuel-driven solutions.
LG’s HVAC solutions, including ultra-efficient heat pumps, are highly competitive due to the company’s advanced core component technology, or core tech. LG develops and manufactures key components such as compressors and motors, essential for air conditioning products and a variety of other appliances. The company also proactively invests in R&D to continuously enhance its industry-leading technologies, including heat exchangers, inverters and heat pumps.
To drive B2B growth and increase management efficacy, LG’s HVAC business is developing a comprehensive local system encompassing all operational areas, from R&D and sales to maintenance and customer service. As part of this initiative, LG has expanded its network of HVAC academies to 62 locations in 43 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia, training over 30,000 HVAC engineers annually.
“Along with developing differentiated HVAC solutions tailored to Europe’s regional climates, our new Air Solution R&D Lab in Frankfurt will support our ongoing global efforts in decarbonization and electrification,” said James Lee, head of the Air Solution Business Unit at LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “LG will continue to strengthen its HVAC leadership in Europe and globally.”
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* The EU’s REPowerEU plan has decreased gas consumption by 18 percent, and dependence on Russian fossil fuels has dropped from 45 percent in 2021 to 15 percent in 2023. ( link hidden, please login to view)
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By News Reporter
Company to Gain Deeper Insights Into Customers’ Lifestyle and Usage Patterns and
Accelerate LG ThinQ AI Home Business
SEOUL, July 3, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) recently acquired an 80 percent stake in Athom, an industry-leading smart home platform company based in Enschede, Netherlands. The agreement includes plans to acquire the remaining 20 percent within the next three years. This strategic move aims to enhance LG’s connectivity within open smart home ecosystems. By integrating Athom’s capabilities with LG’s Affectionate Intelligence technology, LG aspires to lead the AI-driven home innovation era.
LG plans to integrate Athom’s extensive connectivity – which links thousands of appliances, sensors and lighting devices – with the generative AI-enabled LG ThinQ platform. This integration aims to create an AI home that delivers optimal space solutions by gaining a deeper understanding of the customer. In LG’s AI home, customers will engage with generative AI, which will manage appliances and IoT devices to create a personalized environment tailored to their preferences.
LG envisions expanding the differentiated customer experience of AI homes to various spaces where customers spend their time, such as commercial spaces and mobility environments, ultimately realizing and advancing the concept of ‘Intelligent Space.’
Athom is a technology company that sells the smart home hub ‘Homey,’ which connects with home appliances and IoT devices, and also offers cloud subscription services. Founded in 2014, ‘Homey’ has expanded primarily in Europe over the past decade, gaining a loyal customer base of hundreds of thousands of users. As of 2023, Homey devices are available in Australia, Singapore, the US and Canada, in addition to Europe.
Athom has developed its own hub and OS to create an independent smart home ecosystem. Its flagship product, Homey Pro, can connect to more than 50,000 devices and supports various connection methods, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Matter and Thread, making it highly versatile and open.
The Homey App Store, managed by Athom, offers around 1,000 applications for connecting and controlling home devices from brands such as Philips Hue and IKEA. Many of these applications are based on official partnerships, alongside a large number of apps developed by the Homey community. This community of developers actively contributes to Athom’s open platform, continuously expanding the range of brands and devices that can be connected to the hub. Users can easily create a smart home environment by downloading apps from the store and linking their devices.
LG is poised to significantly enhance the scalability required for implementing AI homes, aiming to achieve the highest industry standards. This will be accomplished by integrating its LG ThinQ platform’s smart home technology with Athom’s open ecosystem and IoT device connectivity. The acquisition of Athom is particularly noteworthy, as it will enable LG to incorporate third-party devices and services into its ecosystem. This integration will provide LG with deeper insights into customer usage patterns and expedite the delivery of personalized services.
“The acquisition of Athom is a cornerstone for our AI home business,” said Jung Ki-hyun, executive vice president and head of LG’s Platform Business Center. “By leveraging the synergy between the two companies, we will expand our open ecosystem and external integration services, aiming to provide customers with more diverse and multidimensional space experiences.”
Even after the acquisition, Athom will continue to operate independently, maintaining its business operations and branding. This strategy is designed to maximize Athom’s growth potential and unique strengths while fostering synergies in business, research and development capabilities, and platform utilization.
LG’s introduction of the AI home, which integrates Athom’s open smart home platform with its own AI technology, underscores the company’s commitment to transitioning from a hardware-focused to a software-based platform business. In 2021, LG expanded its TV business from hardware to software by entering the TV platform market with its webOS platform. To support this shift, LG acquired Alphonso, a US-based global technology company specializing in television media, machine learning and big-data analytics. Alphonso now operates as LG Ad Solutions, a core component of the webOS content and service business.
LG aims to establish continuous relationships with customers through numerous devices connected to the AI home, ultimately transforming into a ‘Smart Life Solution Company’ that provides differentiated value.
According to market research firm TechNavio, the global smart home market is projected to grow from USD 81.2 billion in 2023 to USD 260.24 billion by 2028, with an average annual growth rate of 26.23 percent.
“LG is evolving into an intelligent space solutions company that connects and expands experiences in various living spaces. We will continue to make strategic investments to shift our business paradigm, as evidenced by our successive entries into platform-based appliance services and solutions such as the webOS advertising platform and AI home,” said William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics.
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By News Reporter
Now Available in 65 Inches, the M4 Is the First and Only TV to
Wirelessly Transfer Video and Audio at 4K 144Hz
SEOUL, July 1, 2024 — LG Electronics (LG) is set to begin the global rollout of its new OLED evo M4 series TV with the accompanying Zero Connect Box that provides wireless connectivity between the TV and the receiver. The company is presenting the new model in 65 inches, in addition to the 77, 83 and 97 inches; the M series offers to accommodate the personal preferences and living spaces of as many customers as possible. Powered by the cutting-edge LG α (Alpha) 11 AI Processor, the OLED M4 delivers superior home entertainment experiences while its proprietary wireless-transmission technology unlocks new possibilities in living-space curation.
LG’s OLED evo M4 is the first-ever TV with the ability to display wirelessly transmitted video and audio at 4K 144Hz.* The Zero Connect Box sends signals to the TV’s self-lit OLED screen without any direct wire connections, as there are no cables between the two devices to disconnect and reconnect.
Thanks to its wireless transfer capability, the Zero Connect Box can be placed almost anywhere in the room, letting users enjoy the flexibility to arrange their living space however they want to. Bringing numerous new possibilities to the art of ‘interior curation,’ the Zero Connect Box also enables users to effortlessly move the screen, or the Zero Connect Box itself, whenever necessary.
An additional benefit with the Zero Connect Box is that it becomes a simple solution to achieving a clean, clutter-free living space. Users no longer have to think up creative ways to hide or tolerate the usual tangle of cables around the TV.
Meanwhile, in addition to wireless connectivity, the LG OLED M4 boasts spectacular picture quality with its stunning self-lit screen and the new α (Alpha) 11 AI Processor. Designed exclusively for use in LG’s award-winning OLED TVs, this processor leverages three decades of AI innovations, providing personalized experiences tailored to user preferences and habits.
The M4’s faster AI processing speeds, along with its Neural Processing Unit (NPU), elevate it to the status of the ultimate gaming TV. Supporting 4K content at a blazing 144Hz, it delivers fluid gameplay and lifelike visuals. LG’s powerful processor, combined with the state-of-the-art OLED display, takes gaming enjoyment to the next level.
LG’s OLED M4 series TV with the Zero Connect Box will be rolling out in major markets worldwide from July 1.
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* LG 2024 OLED M4 series TVs up to 83 inches (screen size) provide support for 4K@144Hz. The 97-inch OLED M4 supports 4K@120Hz.
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