DGFEZ team had an interview with Brett Kimber, the President of a global gas company Linde Korea, and learned Linde Korea’s investment strategies and business environment in Gyeongbuk Province, South Korea.
Q1. What is Linde’s investment strategy?
A. For our business, we are diversified and like to invest throughout the country, so the Gyeongbuk Province was one of those areas where the strong industry around the metals and electronics supported our investment strategies.
Q2. Could you discuss the quality of the human resources in Korea?
A. In Korea we found that the labor is second to none, as far as the levels of skill and the incredible dedication and hard work. So from our management standpoint it has been actually very easy to have a cooperative relationship because of the strength of their skills matching what our requirements are. Plus we have been able to take some of the employees to other parts of the world to help uplift the skills in other countries.
Q3. Can you tell me about your company’s logistics system?
A. Logistics in our business is very important because we have to move product from production sites to our customers. We are recognize and support that the benefit of these FTAs will attract incoming investment, and those investments will require gas in a lot of cases, and a company like ours will support those incoming companies.
Q4. What are the benefits of investing in Korea and Gyeongbuk province?
A. We’ve invested in the Gyeongbuk province and will continue to invest there and in Korea, and the industries specifically around the IT and the semi-conductors and the LCD have driven our growth business, and so as those industries grow we’ll continue to grow with them.
Q5. How has the government supported your company?
A. We found that over the years, in being able to actually work with the government, we get incredible support specifically around regulation, understanding those challenges and also getting support with getting rezoning if necessary. Plus, we get support around recruiting and employment of people.
