Seojin Automotive

What Seojin Automotive does

Seojin Automotive (SECO 서진오토모티브) is a South Korean Tier-1 automotive parts manufacturer founded in 1966 and headquartered in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do. The company designs and manufactures powertrain and drivetrain components—including manual and automatic clutches, wet clutch DCT modules, transmission parts, camshafts, engine components, friction materials, and high-performance clutch kits—serving global automotive OEMs such as Hyundai Motor Group, GM Korea, Renault Samsung, SsangYong, General Motors, Renault, Stellantis (Peugeot-Citroën), Mitsubishi Fuso, JATCO, FCC, and Kubota. The company claims to be the only Korean manufacturer with end-to-end in-house capability from clutch design through mass production and operates under the proprietary SECO brand in the after-sales market.

The company's underlying technology rests on four decades of accumulated know-how in clutch systems, including proprietary friction material formulation, forging, extrusion, and Six Sigma-driven process control that has pushed defect rates below 3.4 PPM. Notable technical differentiators include the extrusion-formed Facing SC700 friction material (30–50% weight reduction versus traditional casting), a hybrid-vehicle low-stiffness wide-angle damper, and a self-developed EV reducer portfolio spanning 15KW to 150KW. Quality recognition includes repeated Hyundai/Kia Supplier of the Year (Quality), GM Supplier Quality Excellence Awards (3 consecutive years, 2013–2016), and ISO/TS 16949 (2002) and ISO 14001 (2006) certifications.

The business model is predominantly B2B hardware sales under long-term, volume-driven supply contracts with major OEMs, supplemented by a proprietary SECO-branded after-sales channel that contributes approximately 30% of revenue at higher margins than OEM supply. Revenue is split roughly 50:50 between domestic and export markets, with specific export contracts including a KRW 551 billion Middle East clutch kit deal, a KRW 265 billion Iran SAIPA YADAK parts supply agreement, and a KRW 450 billion China camshaft order. Major customers are accessed through direct field sales and supported by 50:50 joint ventures in China (Dongfeng Motor Group, camshafts) and Japan (FCC, wet clutch DCT modules), plus a Korea Exim Bank win-win financing program for tier-2/3 suppliers. The company has undergone a government-approved restructuring under the Corporate Vitality Enhancement Special Act to pivot from ICE transmission components toward EV/hydrogen reducers, with management succession to CEO Kim Seong-cheol supporting the transition. Headcount stands at 244 employees, including 23 R&D staff.

Name

Seojin Automotive

Legal name

(주)서진오토모티브

Website

https://secoautomotive.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Seojin Automotive (SECO) is a Korean Tier-1 automotive parts manufacturer founded in 1966, producing clutches, transmission components, camshafts, friction materials, and EV reducers for Hyundai, Kia, GM, and other global OEMs across OEM and after-sales channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Powertrain Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Gasoline Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing (336310), Other Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (336390), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Transmission & Transaxle Manufacturing (Manual/Automatic/DCT/CVT) (IMACAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Axle, Differential & Final Drive Manufacturing (Front/Rear/E-axle housings) (IMACAHAG), Engine Components & Subsystems Manufacturing (Blocks/Heads/Valvetrain/Pistons) (IMACAHAB), Hybrid Powertrain Integration Manufacturing (ICE-HEV/PHEV modules) (IMACAHAJ)

Keywords

• Automotive clutch systems
• Transmission components
• Engine parts manufacturing
• EV reducers
• Friction materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Sihung

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. OEM Components Sales: Design, manufacture, and supply of automotive powertrain components (clutches, transmission parts, engine parts, camshafts, EV reducers) directly to automotive OEMs under annual supply contracts. Revenue is production-volume driven with long-term contractual relationships. This constitutes the majority of company revenue, with domestic (Hyundai, Kia, GM Korea, Renault Samsung) and export (global GM, Renault, Peugeot-Citroën, etc.) OEM customers.
2. After-Sales (A/S) Market: Sale of replacement parts and components through after-sales service channels. The company produces parts for vehicle models beyond their direct OEM supply relationships, enabling A/S market participation. A/S market revenue accounts for approximately 30% of total company revenue and carries higher profit margins than OEM revenue.
3. EV Powertrain Components: Emerging revenue stream from EV reducer manufacturing and related electric vehicle components (dampers, traction motor parts). The company is actively developing EV reducer products (15KW to 150KW range) for electric vehicle manufacturers, with production qualification underway targeting 2022-2024 mass production timelines.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Seojin Automotive (SECO) designs, manufactures, and supplies automotive powertrain and drivetrain components — including manual and automatic clutch systems, transmission parts, engine components, camshafts, friction materials, and electric vehicle reducers. The company serves as a Tier-1 direct supplier to major global OEMs such as Hyundai Motor Group, GM, Renault, Stellantis, and Chinese OEMs, and also distributes SECO-branded aftermarket replacement parts through its own channel.

Product overview

Seojin Automotive (SECO) is an automotive parts manufacturer producing physical components for vehicle powertrains. The product portfolio centers on transmission and drivetrain components, including manual and automatic transmissions, clutch systems (standard and high-performance), engine parts, and friction materials. The company is undergoing a strategic transition toward eco-friendly vehicle components, developing electric vehicle reducers and hybrid vehicle dampers. The product line includes six main categories: Eco-friendly Vehicle Powertrain, Automatic Transmission, Manual Transmission, Engine Parts, Friction Material Parts, and High-Performance Clutch Kits. Products serve both OEM customers (Hyundai, Kia, GM Korea, global manufacturers) and aftermarket (A/S) channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eco-friendly Vehicle Powertrain (친환경차 파워트레인) Electric vehicle powertrain components including reducers and gearboxes ranging from 15KW (small EV) to 150KW (large EV), plus integrated motor+reducer units and hybrid vehicle dampers. Targeted at major domestic and global EV manufacturers as part of the company's pivot from internal combustion engine parts.
• Automatic Transmission Mission (오토매틱트랜스 미션) Automatic transmission components and assemblies for passenger and commercial vehicles, including parts for multi-speed automatic transmissions and wet dual-clutch transmission (DCT) modules. Supplies Hyundai/Kia vehicles across Sonata, Grandeur, Sorento and other models.
• Manual Transmission Mission (매뉴얼트랜스 미션) Manual transmission components and assemblies. The company claims to be the only domestic manufacturer covering the full lifecycle from design to mass production of manual clutches, serving both OEM supply contracts and after-sales market channels.
• Engine Parts (엔진 파트) Engine components and parts for various vehicle applications including camshafts and other powertrain elements. Includes extrusion-formed friction material (Facing SC700) achieving 30-50% weight reduction over traditional casting methods, applied to transmission components for HMC JA, ID, FB vehicle models.
• Friction Material Parts (마찰재 파트) Friction materials for clutches and brakes, including composite friction materials developed using proprietary formulations for heat resistance, durability, and weight reduction. The Facing SC700 extrusion-formed friction material delivers 30-50% weight reduction versus traditional casting.
• High-Performance Clutch Kit (하이퍼포먼스 클러치키트) High-performance clutch kits for sports and racing applications, including clutch cover, disc, and bearing assemblies. Distributed through the SECO after-sales brand network and contributing to the ~30% aftermarket revenue share with higher profit margins than OEM supply.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vehicle weight reduction of 30-50% through extrusion forming method (Facing SC700) compared to traditional casting
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• POSCO InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022POSCO International and Seojin Automotive formed a strategic partnership for new market expansion. POSCO International, a major Korean trading company, assists Seojin Automotive in exploring new sales channels and international markets for its automotive components.
• Dongfeng Motor Group (China JV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2015Joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Group (China's major automotive group) for manufacturing and supply of camshafts and other automotive components to Chinese OEMs and global customers. The JV is a significant strategic initiative for Seojin Automotive's presence in the Chinese automotive market, securing 450 billion KRW in orders from Chinese local customers. China's Dongfeng group is one of China's largest automotive manufacturers.
• FCC (Fukoku Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 201250:50 joint venture with Japan's FCC (revenue ~1.5 trillion KRW, automatic transmission parts specialist serving Honda, Yamaha) for wet clutch components business. JV established to produce multi-speed DCT wet clutch modules targeting Korean and Japanese automotive markets. Production planned to begin 2014, targeting 100+ billion KRW annual revenue from 2017. Investment treaty signing witnessed by Gyeonggi-do Governor Kim Moon-soo. FCC is a major Japanese automatic transmission parts company.
• Korea Parts and Materials Industry Association (KITIA)minorOthers · 1 January 2012Seojin Automotive participated in the Materials/Parts Global M&A Conference (MCTGC 2012) organized by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and KITIA, where the FCC joint venture agreement was signed.
• Gyeonggi-do ProvinceminorOthers · 1 January 2012Gyeonggi-do Province facilitated and witnessed the investment MOU signing between Seojin Automotive and Japan's FCC, providing government support for the FDI joint venture.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Mando Corporation: Korean Tier-1 automotive supplier with brake, steering, and suspension components. Comparable Korean mid-cap auto-parts public company and fellow HMG ecosystem supplier.
• Hyundai Wia: Korean auto-parts manufacturer producing engine modules, transmission parts, and EV components. Direct domestic peer overlapping Seojin's product set and OEM customer base.
• F.C.C. (Fukoku Corporation): Japanese automatic transmission clutch specialist that is also Seojin's 50:50 JV partner. Direct competitor in clutch/damper technology and a benchmark on the same product family Seojin serves.
• EXEDY GlobalParts: Japanese clutch and drivetrain specialist serving OEMs and aftermarket globally. Closest pure-play clutch competitor to Seojin's core transmission-components business, including in two-wheel applications.

Broad incumbents

• Schaeffler: German automotive supplier strong in clutches, transmission systems, and e-axle components. Direct technology competitor in both Seojin's ICE clutch business and EV reducer pivot.
• BorgWarner: US-listed global Tier-1 drivetrain supplier with strong EV reducer/e-axle portfolio. Key competitor in the same EV component category Seojin is targeting.
• Hyundai Mobis: Seojin's Hyundai Motor Group affiliate and largest in-house Tier-1 supplier. Functions as both customer and as adjacent competitor for HMG powertrain programs.
• Valeo: French Tier-1 automotive supplier with broad powertrain and transmission components portfolio. Comparable to Seojin's clutch/transmission business and significantly larger scale across OEM customers.
• Aisin: Japanese transmission and powertrain components specialist supplying most major Asian OEMs. Comparable to Seojin in transmission-parts scope with much larger scale.
• ZF Friedrichshafen: Global drivetrain and chassis Tier-1 with major presence in transmissions and EV reducers. Direct competitor in EV reducer space where Seojin is pivoting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seco-automotive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seojin Automotive