Automobile industry

Located in Ulsan is Hyundai Motor Company which produces 1.41 million cars annually (the largest number in the world as a single automotive plant) as well as 290 automobile-related businesses producing USD 27.2 billion annually. Ulsan is the world's 5th automotive industrial city which exports automobiles worth USD 21.3 billion annually, accounting for more than 30% of automobile production amount in Korea.

In addition, the Ulsan Green Car Technology Center accelerates the development of eco-friendly cars such as electric cars, hybrid cars, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in order to develop Ulsan as the hub of the electric car industry.

In 2013, it succeeded in commercializing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the first time in the world and is growing as a leader of the technology-intensive automobile industry.

Shipbuilding and maritime industries

The world's largest Hyundai Heavy Industries and the fifth largest Hyundai Mipo Dockyard account for 30% of the total ship production of Korea. Ulsan has been strengthening its position as the world's best shipbuilding city.

Hyundai Heavy Industries is the world's largest shipbuilder which can produce 10 million GT in its dockyard with a total area of 6,080,000㎡.

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard can produce up to 2,467,000 GT each year.

Ulsan has been making efforts to develop the IT-based future shipbuilding industry, especially focusing on higher value added vessels such as smart ships, eco ships, and FPSO/LNG/shale Gas ships.

Petrochemical industry

Korea is the world's fifth largest petrochemical producer and Ulsan's petrochemical production accounts for about 32% of the total output.

In Ulsan with Asia's largest chemical industrial complex, global leading chemical companies including SK, S-OIL, Solvay, BASF, Mobil, and DUPONT are running their businesses proactively.

In addition, research centers and research complexes including the Research Center for Green Fine Chemicals, Bio Chemical Commercialization Center, Ulsan Fine Chemical Industry Center, and Korea Institute of Energy Research are upgrading the Korean petrochemical industry.

Secondary cell industry

Ulsan has been developing the secondary cell industry as its future growth engine. Samsung SDI, known as a global leader in the secondary cell industry, is producing secondary cells for automobile and energy saving systems (ESS). The Korea Institute of Energy Research and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology founded the "Support Center for Next Generation Batteries" in order to develop key technology and human resources and lead the secondary cell industry. Ulsan will grow as the world's best hub of the battery industry by constructing the world’s largest hydrogen fuel cell town and an eco-friendly battery convergence complex.

Development of future businesses

Ulsan is developing its key industries including automobile, shipbuilding, and petrochemistry by applying IT and biotechnology. Ulsan is improving petrochemical processes and fostering fine chemistry in order to develop new materials for future industries. In addition, it is making efforts to establish a foundation for 3D printing in order to reduce the weight of automobile parts and improve shipbuilding and energy components. Lastly, it is focusing on developing future foods with its genome-based biomedical industry.