We’ve just flipped through the calendar to the year 2025, and two awards ceremonies dear to Hankook’s heart have already been celebrated. In January, the EHS team led by László Vígh took the imaginary podium with the development of a fire alarm system, and in February, our colleague János Aux travelled all the way to Korea to receive the Proactive Award. Find out more about them and their work!
Who can forget the accident at a factory in Daejeon on 12 March 2023, when a complete production line caught fire in a couple of hours. After the incident, Hankook EHS specialists immediately began assessing the risks of a potential fire spreading to the affected area. It was quickly determined that the highest risk during curing was the time it would take to detect the fire, as the ceiling sensors were located at a height of approximately 12-13 metres from the bottom of the shaft, so would only have indicated a large fire. It is important to note that the current fire detection system complies with the regulations and professional standards, so its development was a voluntary undertaking by the team to minimise risk.
The focus was on finding the technology to detect fire as early as possible, both in space and time. So-called bi-spectral IP cameras, also used to protect Notre-Dame in Paris, were finally chosen, placed every 7-8 metres at shaft level and overlapped to reduce blind spots. The cameras can simultaneously detect smoke, flames, temperature and even movements that indicate smoking, and use a special calculation to determine whether a fire alarm is required.
Beyond the pit level, the early detection of fires on curing machines also required improvements, with a long-range IP thermal imaging camera installed above each pit level.
The fires detected by the camera system are displayed on an app, enabling EHS specialists to react immediately, rush to the scene and intervene. A similarly high risk has been identified in areas known as the mixing mid-level, where similar improvements will be implemented during 2025.
László Vígh and his team were recognised by the Global EHS Department at the end of 2024 for the fire alarm improvement in the curing process, and the improvement will be rolled out to other Hankook factories.
Congratulations and thank you for your work!
János has almost 14 years of experience in our company, starting his career in 2011 as an operator in shift C. In 2016 he was promoted to Team Leader and since February 2021 he is the team’s Shift Leader. MF3 Curing C shift performed fantastically in 2024, earning János the Proactive Award as team leader.
He received the Proactive Award in Korea in February at the official ceremony. What was your experience like?
It was fantastic to be in Korea. It’s a very different culture and to experience it first hand is an indescribable feeling. Special thanks to the company for allowing my family to travel with me and share this honour together. We spent six days in South Korea, and it would be difficult to list all the sights and experiences we were enriched with. It is truly an experience of a lifetime. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. It may seem a cliche, but in this case it is true: I could not have done it without my colleagues. Thank you very much!
What were your family’s impressions?
When we were coming backback, my wife felt really sorry, while my son said he wanted to work there. It really is a different culture, a different world.
What kind of activities did you take part in?
We were there from Monday to Saturday, we had a tight schedule. Only on the last day we had some chance to move around a bit more independently, but that was no problem at all. On arrival we went straight to the hotel, which was gorgeous. The next day we went to the Technoplex where we were shown around, but also had time for a little sightseeing. We also went to Daejeon and took a test drive at the Technoring.
Let’s talk a bit about the process that brought you and your family to Korea. How did you find out about it, how did it all happen?
First of all, my Team Manager, Róbert Rajna, told me about the opportunity. We gave a good performance, but they said they’ll look at the numbers and reports and let us know about the developments – if there is anything. I was then notified that I was in the top 60. The field has been narrowing, and I’ve made it into the top 15. This was followed by a video conference with Róbert Rajna, Viktor Meződy, Máté Tarjányi and Katalin Roy. I was very excited as I had to explain to the board how I had achieved this result to qualify here. Hwan Woong Lee interpreted what I had to say to Korean, which I thank him for. The next day, Robi called me to be the first to congratulate me on my victory.
How did you feel at that moment?
What can I say? It’s 14 years of work. It was unbelievable then and there, now I can obviously believe it to some extent, but it’s a kind of crowning achievement of all the work I’ve done.
You work with several nationalities and, as you said, you have been working here at Hankook for 14 years. What’s the secret?
When you come here, it’s important to see the talent. You have to be patient, point out or even work on the strengths of the new colleague, first individually and then on a group level. In addition to personal ambition, it is worth giving him or her a goal or even helping him or her to achieve it. Of course this cannot be done without the other party. If you basically just want to get on with your job and don’t care whether what you are doing is right, then you are screwed. You have to give them a vision, an opportunity to sit in my seat in a few years from now. We do have the potential for that, as my career has shown. We have no limits, only the limits we set for ourselves.
