Samsung aids self-test kit manufacturers amid supply crunch

Samsung Electronics plans to help manufacturers of COVID-19 self-diagnosis kits increase a supply amid a nationwide shortage of self-swabbing test kits that has followed the previous face mask crunch.

A total of 19 smart factory engineers will be allocated by Samsung Electronics to help GenBody, a self-test kit fabricator located in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, according to its announcement on Thursday. The squad of experts plan to provide GenBody with production technical consulting and help it out with how to effectively boost production volume. This project will ensure cooperation to realign production lines, set up inventory management systems and improve molding and printing capabilities. Reportedly, the South Korean government served as a bridge between the two businesses by asking Samsung to assist GenBody in receiving professional guidance to increase production volume following the latter’s request made. Sugentech, another self-diagnosis kit producer, will also cooperate with manufacturing experts from Samsung.

Back in February 2020 when the nation suffered a shortage of face masks, Samsung Electronics supplied manufacturing experts to four mask fabricators. In May of the same year, it also helped manufacturers of COVID-19 PCR diagnostic kits. Moreover, manufacturers of COVID-19 syringes received help in minimizing the remainder of vaccine serum around the end of the year. “Samsung is morally obligated to promote sharing across society in such a crisis as it has grown thanks to support of South Korean citizens,” Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong said at that time.


Choong-Hyun Song balgun@donga.com