LG Elec's Tennessee plant named Lighthouse Factory by WEF

LG Electronics Inc.'s home appliance factory in Tennessee, the US, has been selected as a "Lighthouse Factory" by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for the first time among factories established overseas by a South Korean company.

According to WEF, the lighthouse factory illuminates the way forward for the global manufacturing community by shaping a responsible future of manufacturing. 

Since 2018, WEF has reviewed factories from around the world and selected lighthouse factories twice a year, and in March last year, Changwon LG Smart Park in Korea was designated as a lighthouse factory.

LG explained that it was highly praised for implementing digital technologies such as big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and robots, into manufacturing and supply chain operations.

The Tennessee plant was completed at the end of 2018 and has the capacity to produce 1.2 million washing machines and 600,000 dryers per year.

It is one of the world's most advanced integrated washing machine plants that complete all processes from manufacturing parts to packaging in one line, according to LG.

"Following Changwon LG Smart Park, the Tennessee plant was selected as a lighthouse factory. This reflects our overwhelming manufacturing technology and competitive advantage in the home appliance sector," said Ryu Jae-chul, head of LG Electronics' H&A business division.

Write to Ji-Eun Jeong at jeong@hankyung.com