What Iljin Diamond does

Iljin Diamond Co., Ltd. is a South Korean manufacturer of industrial synthetic diamonds and ultra-hard tool materials, publicly listed on the Korea Stock Exchange (ticker: 081000) and operating as a core subsidiary of the Iljin Group conglomerate. Founded in 1987-1988 through a joint development with KIST (Korea Institute of Science and Technology), the company became the first in South Korea and the third globally to develop industrial synthetic diamonds using HPHT (High-Pressure High-Temperature) technology, which subjects graphite and catalytic metals to 50,000 atmospheres of pressure and 1,500°C to produce diamond particles. It remains the only company in South Korea capable of manufacturing industrial synthetic diamonds and related ultra-hard products.

The company produces a comprehensive portfolio covering the full synthetic diamond value chain: synthetic diamond powders (ISD, IPD, IMD, IRD grades), micron diamond powder (IMP), cubic boron nitride powders (IBN, IMPC), polycrystalline diamond (PCD/IPOL), polycrystalline CBN (PCBN/IBON), polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC/IPDC) for oil and gas drilling, and tungsten carbide rods and rolls. These products serve six end-markets: automotive/aerospace (primary), semiconductor (primary), IT/electronics (primary), construction/mining, woodworking, and oil/gas. Notable technology credentials include the Excellent Technology Award for producing the world's largest diameter PCD, World Class 300 designation from the Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy (2012), and World-Class Product certification for PCD.

The business operates through a global direct enterprise sales model with wholly-owned subsidiaries in the USA (Houston, est. 2007), Germany (Eschborn, est. 2010), Japan (Tokyo, est. 2003), China (Shanghai, est. 2010), and a manufacturing facility in Vietnam (completed November 2020). Manufacturing operations are concentrated in Korea at the Eumseong Plant and Ansan Plant, with a second Ansan factory completed in 2010 alongside entry into the diamond wire business. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of ultra-hard tool materials, with the company ranked among the global top three industrial diamond manufacturers alongside Element Six (UK) and Sumitomo Electric Industries (Japan). In September 2025, the company appointed a new CEO, former Samsung SDI Executive Vice President Lee Moo-young, signaling strategic leadership refresh.

Name

Iljin Diamond

Legal name

ILJIN DIAMOND CO., LTD.

Website

https://iljindiamond.co.kr

Company type

Public

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Iljin Diamond is a South Korean manufacturer of industrial synthetic diamonds and ultra-hard tool materials (PCD, PCBN, CBN, PDC, tungsten carbide) produced via proprietary HPHT technology, serving automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, construction/mining, woodworking, and oil/gas industries globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mapo

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ultra-hard Tool Material Sales: ILJIN Diamond generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of industrial synthetic diamonds and ultra-hard tool materials including PCD, PCBN, CBN powder, PDC, and tungsten carbide products. Products are sold directly to manufacturers and through regional distribution partners globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Iljin Diamond manufactures and sells industrial synthetic diamonds and ultra-hard tool materials, including Diamond Powder (ISD, IPD, IMD, IRD, IMP), CBN Powder (IBN, IMPC), PCD (IPOL), PCBN (IBON), Tungsten Carbide (Rods and Rolls), and PDC (IPDC). These materials are produced via proprietary HPHT synthesis and serve as essential inputs for grinding, cutting, drilling, and machining operations in automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, construction, mining, woodworking, and oil & gas industries.

Product overview

Iljin Diamond is an industrial synthetic diamond and ultra-hard tool material manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of products including Diamond Powder (ISD, IPD, IMD, IRD, IMP), CBN (IBN, IMPC), PCD (IPOL), PCBN (IBON), Tungsten Carbide (Rod, Roll), and PDC (IPDC). The company serves multiple industries including automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, IT/electronics, construction/mining, woodworking, and oil/gas. The products are manufactured using HPHT (High-Pressure High-Temperature) technology and serve as essential materials for cutting, grinding, drilling, and machining applications across both ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISD (Synthetic Diamond) Synthetic diamond used in construction and civil engineering tools such as saw blades, cutters, and core drill bits for cutting stone, concrete, and asphalt.
• IPD (Premium Synthetic Diamond) HPHT-based premium synthetic diamond with high hardness, thermal stability, and sharp cutting edge; used in Mining Bit and Multi Wire for granite cutting applications.
• IMD (Metal Bond Diamond) Synthetic diamond produced via HPHT process for processing non-ferrous materials; used for glass, ferrite processing, and CMP pad conditioners.
• IRD (Resin & Vitrified Bond Diamond) Synthetic diamond for processing non-ferrous materials, particularly cemented tungsten carbides and hard ceramics.
• IMP (Micron Diamond Powder) Micron-sized synthetic diamond powder for grinding, polishing, and super finishing in electronics, semiconductors, and automobiles; also serves as raw material for diamond wire, PCD, and PDC.
• IBN (cBN Powder) Cubic boron nitride powder for processing ferrous materials including superalloys, bearing steel, and heat-treated steel; improves surface finish quality and extends tool life.
• IMPC (Micron cBN Powder) Micron-sized cubic boron nitride powder for grinding, polishing, and super finishing; also used as PCBN raw material.
• IPOL (Polycrystalline Diamond / PCD) High-hardness tool material made by high-temperature high-pressure sintering of synthetic diamond and binder; essential for machining non-ferrous materials including aluminum, ceramics, wood, silicon, carbide, CFRP, and copper.
• IBON (Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride / PCBN) High-hardness tool material sintered from CBN powder and ceramic binders; enables machining of ferrous materials including carbon steel, cast iron, heat-treated steel, sintered metal, and superalloys.
• Tungsten Carbide Rod Tungsten carbide rod for general drills, end mill tools, PCB routers, and micro drills; applied in automotive, aviation, energy, IT, and medical fields.
• Tungsten Carbide Roll Tungsten carbide roll for steel rolling processes including rebar, wire rod, and round bar; available in single binder (Co) and multi-binder (Co+Ni) grades.
• IPDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact / PDC) Polycrystalline diamond compact with excellent durability, wear resistance, impact resistance, and heat resistance for oil and gas drilling applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Improved surface finishing quality and extended tool life for end users
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• LIPIN EXPORTS PVT. LTD.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner for India (Mumbai), distributing ILJIN Diamond products including PCD, CBN, and carbide products to customers in the Indian market.
• S.G.Di Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner for South America (Sao Paulo, Brazil), distributing ILJIN Diamond ultra-hard tool materials in the Brazilian market.
• Andrea Migliorini (Lecco, Italy)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner for Europe (Lecco, Italy), representing Diamond Solution and distributing ILJIN Diamond products. Website: www.diamondsolution.it
• Xisern (Barcelona, Spain & Portugal)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner for Europe (Barcelona, Spain & Portugal), distributing ILJIN Diamond products in the Iberian market.
• PCD Carbide (Istanbul, Turkey)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner for Middle East (Istanbul, Turkey), distributing PCD and carbide products from ILJIN Diamond.
• Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILJIN Diamond began joint development of industrial synthetic diamonds with KIST in 1987, leading to South Korea's first successful development of industrial synthetic diamonds (third in the world). KIST collaboration established the foundation for ILJIN's HPHT technology capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Henan Huanghe Whirlwind Co., Ltd. Henan Huanghe Whirlwind is one of China's largest producers of synthetic industrial diamonds and diamond-related products. As a low-cost Chinese manufacturer, it competes primarily in commodity diamond powder and lower-grade PCD, putting pricing pressure on Iljin's broader portfolio.
• SF Diamond Co., Ltd. SF Diamond is a major Chinese manufacturer of industrial synthetic diamond grit, PCD, and PCBN products with rapidly expanding global capacity. Represents the cohort of Chinese players scaling up to challenge established Western and Japanese incumbents including Iljin in mid-tier product grades.

Broad incumbents

• Resonac Holdings (formerly Showa Denko): Resonac (rebranded from Showa Denko in 2023) is a Japanese chemical and specialty materials company with operations in advanced ceramics, hard materials, and abrasives. It serves overlapping semiconductor and electronics customers and competes in adjacent ultra-hard material categories.
• Sandvik AB: Sandvik is a large Swedish industrial group with significant presence in metal cutting tools and now owns Hyperion Materials & Technologies. While its core is finished cutting tools rather than raw ultra-hard materials, it competes with Iljin's PCD/PCBN products through Hyperion and adjacent tooling offerings.
• Kennametal Inc. Kennametal is a US-based global leader in metalworking tools, including tungsten carbide inserts and tool materials. Its tungsten carbide product lines directly overlap with Iljin's tungsten carbide rod and roll offerings, while its broader tooling portfolio reaches the same automotive and aerospace customers.
• Mitsubishi Materials Corporation: Mitsubishi Materials is a large Japanese diversified materials company with significant operations in tungsten carbide cutting tools and cemented carbide products. Overlaps with Iljin's tungsten carbide offerings and competes indirectly through downstream tool manufacturers in automotive and aerospace machining.

Direct peers

• Element Six: Element Six (a De Beers group company, now under Anglo American spin-off) is one of the top two global industrial diamond manufacturers and Iljin's most direct competitor. Both produce synthetic diamond powder, PCD, PCBN, and PDC for machining, drilling, and grinding applications serving overlapping customer bases in automotive, aerospace, and oil & gas.
• Hyperion Materials & Technologies: Hyperion (formerly GE Superabrasives, descendant of the GE business that previously disputed IP with Iljin) is a leading global manufacturer of synthetic diamond, cubic boron nitride, PCD, and PCBN superabrasive materials. Directly competes with Iljin across the same product categories and end markets.
• Tomei Diamond Co., Ltd. Tomei Diamond is a Japanese specialist manufacturer of industrial diamond grit, micron diamond powder, and CBN powder with HPHT synthesis capabilities. Directly comparable to Iljin's diamond powder and CBN powder product lines, serving overlapping Asian electronics and machining customers.
• Sumitomo Electric Industries: Sumitomo Electric is explicitly named alongside Iljin as one of the global top three industrial diamond manufacturers, with comparable HPHT capabilities and a broad PCD/PCBN product portfolio serving the same machining and electronics end markets. Its much larger parent provides greater R&D and capital resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Iljin Diamond