Huvis (CEO Kim Seok-hyun, 079980), a company specializing in chemical fiber materials, announced on the 20th that Shin Hyun-wook, a department manager at the company’s R&D Center, received the Minister of Science and ICT Award at the 61st Invention Day ceremony hosted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office and the Korea Invention Promotion Association on the 19th.

Invention Day is an event held to honor inventors who have contributed to national industrial development, express gratitude to them, and encourage further innovation. Following its receipt of the Bronze Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit last year, Huvis has once again proven its formidable R&D prowess in the materials industry by producing a ministerial award winner this year.

Shin, who received the Minister’s award, has served as a researcher at the Huvis R&D Center since joining the company in 2011. He participated in the development of differentiated Low Melting Fiber (LMF) and was recognized for his contributions to the commercialization of Ecoever LM, the world’s first chemically recycled LMF.

Ecoever LM is a chemically recycled LMF product derived from plastic waste. Unlike mechanical recycling, which degrades in quality with each subsequent recycling loop, chemical recycling preserves the material’s structural integrity indefinitely. Thanks to this zero-degradation performance, Ecoever LM is emerging as a highly sought-after material for premium automotive interiors, including dashboards, headliners, seats, and door trims.

Shin also discovered a new raw material capable of replacing isophthalic acid—a costly ingredient previously essential for LMF production—thereby dramatically reducing manufacturing costs. The Black Dope Dyed LM, which incorporates this technology, was recognized for its superior quality and market potential and was selected as a 2024 Korea World Class Product by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Furthermore, Shin has contributed to the development of Korea’s materials industry by holding a total of 73 domestic and international patents, including 68 related to LMF.

“This award goes beyond personal honor; it is the culmination of Huvis’s efforts in technological innovation,” said Huvis CEO Kim Seok-hyun. “Moving forward, Huvis will take the lead in developing sustainable, eco-friendly materials and emerge as a global leader driving the self-reliance and development of Korea’s materials industry,” he added. (The End)


[Photo] Shin Hyun-wook, a department manager at the Huvis R&D Center, poses for a commemorative photo after receiving an award at the 61st Invention Day ceremony held on the 19th at COEX Magok in Gangseo-gu, Seoul.