Kim Yu-jin: Hello, everyone! Did you enjoy the trip to Singapore with me last time?

Today, I am back to bring you to another exciting online tour! Let me introduce today’s panel.

Lee Ye-ttul: Hello. I’m Lee Ye-ttul in the Packaging Biz Strategy Chapter of SK Geo Centric (SKGC).

Kim Yu-jin: Thank you for joining me, Ye-ttul. Today we are going to visit a business site of SKGC the U.S.

Lee Ye-ttul: Speaking of the U.S., the first thing that comes to mind is SK Primacor America (SKPA), which is responsible for high-performance EAA materials in SKGC.

Kim Yu-jin: EA…What?

Lee Ye-ttul: EAA is the acronym for Ethylene, Acrylic Acid, which is superior to ordinary PE products in terms of adhesiveness and tear strength. It is an ideal product as sterilization packaging for milk and juice. In this regard, it is an indispensable product for SKGC as the company is growing in tandem with the needs of the market for hot meal replacement and health functional foods as well as the eco-friendly trend for waste reduction.

Kim Yu-jin: OK. So now shall we meet the local member of today’s episode. So glad to see you Megan! Please briefly introduce yourself.

Megan Ledesma: Hello, my name is Megan. I’m responsible for Process and Product Quality here at SKPA.

Kim Yu-jin: I’m eager to learn about SKPA from a local members’s point of view. Megan, please introduce SKPA to everyone.

Megan Ledesma: SKPA is a leading producer of EAA products in the global market. SKGC is annually producing around 47 thousand tons of EAA. SKPA produces the high-acid EAA*, which is a specialty product and has established a differentiated market, so the demand is high.

*High-Acid content EAA (High-Acid content Ethylene Acrylic Acid): EAA product group is largely divided into low, mid and high-acid products, and the high-acid one among them is a differentiated product that has a high entry barrier for competitors due to production constraint)

Lee Ye-ttul: In addition, the EAA material is especially famous for the technology necessary for eco-friendly packaging, and it’s the buzzword in the packaging materials market that’s rapidly growing due to the COVID-19 situation.

Kim Yu-jin: I see, so where is SKPA located?

Megan Ledesma: SKPA is located in Freeport, Texas, which is an hour south of Houston. As you mentioned, SKGC acquired the EAA business from DowDuPont, and we reside on Dow’s property alongside other Dow‘s facilities.

Lee Ye-ttul: In fact, Freeport is a place where not just DowDuPont but also a number of petrochemical companies are clustered. So it makes it easier to supply materials for EAA production and operate without glitches.

Megan Ledesma: And its location is adjacent to a port, which means there’re export advantages as well.

Kim Yu-jin: Oh, I didn’t know it’s close to a port! To me, the word Texas brings about the images of deserts, and cowboys, so I had no clue it would actually be close to the sea! Megan, could you please tell us more about the culture of Texas!

Megan Ledesma: Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star state. We have our own culture. So people here would call themselves ’Texan,’ rather than American. You’ll often see our Texas State Flag everywhere you go.

Kim Yu-jin: I love Texas BBQ! Because it’s huge. The bigger the yummier.

Megan Ledesma: Everything is bigger in Texas. Did you know that Texas is the second-largest state in United States? It’s so large, it can take 12 to 14 hours to drive the 870 miles to cross the entire state. And along the way, you will see everything from big cities, to small towns, to wide open country.

Kim Yu-jin: So how is the working atmosphere in SKPA?

Megan Ledesma: Well, “friendship” is the Texas state motto and to me that describes the atmosphere at SKPA. We work very well as a team and we dream BIG

Kim Yu-jin: Could you tell us more about your duties in SKPA, Megan?

Megan Ledesma: I’m responsible for process and product quality. My role is to ensure our products are of the highest quality during and after production. During production, many problems can occur and I’m in charge of managing those potential issues. We are the leading high-acid EAA producer in the global market, so I want to ensure that we offer products of the highest quality.

Lee Ye-ttul: I see. Producing the market-leading products would make members feel more responsible. But, I guess there is much to gain as well, right? Megan, what have you learned from working in SKPA?

Megan Ledesma: I’ve gained so much in my time at SKPA. I have the opportunity to meet with people from other countries, which has expanded my growth, not only as an employee but as a person.

Kim Yu-jin: OK. Let’s wrap up our interview by listening to the hashtags Megan chooses to summarize the stories we’ve talked today.

Megan Ledesma: #HI, #HIGH, and #BIG. As a Texan, I can’t help but to select ‘BIG’ as a hashtag. It has been so wonderful to say ‘HI’ to fellow SK employees from so far away, and to join you in aiming for ‘HIGH’ goals. No matter our location, together, we will dream ‘BIG.’

Kim Yu-jin: Thank you for such eye-opening experience. Stay tuned for the next destination! Bye!

Please check the video below for the full talk with more details.