Seoul: SPC Group, a prominent South Korean food and beverage company, announced plans to invest 300 billion won (approximately US$204.6 million) in the construction of a new "safety-smart factory" in response to a series of fatal workplace accidents.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the new facility will be located in Eumseong, about 100 kilometers south of Seoul, and aims to integrate advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automated robotics, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors to prioritize worker safety. The construction is set to commence next year, with a projected completion date in 2028.

SPC Vice Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer Hur Jin-soo emphasized the significance of this development, stating, "Building a safety-smart factory marks an important turning point for SPC's transformation, innovation and shift toward safety-centered management. We will establish a facility with top-tier safety systems to enhance trust among employees, customers and all stakeholders."

Once completed, the new plant will be 2.5 times larger than SPL, SPC's flagship production base, making it the largest facility within the group. SPC aims for the plant to be recognized as a "Lighthouse Factory," an accolade given by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey and Co. to factories that excel in innovation through Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.

Currently, SPC operates 26 production facilities in South Korea and has bakery plants in China and Malaysia. Additionally, the company began construction of its third overseas bakery plant in the United States in September.