DS Dansuk celebrates its' 60th year Anniversary.
We can learn life lesson and mapping power from DS Dansuk : Never waste a good crisis and big globe!!!
DS Dansuk: A Company Tackling the Plastic Problem
The tightening of plastic regulations has become a favorable business opportunity for DS Dansuk. By leveraging its waste plastic sorting technology and plastic compounding technology (a process of mixing two or more industrial materials in optimal ratios), the company is expanding its PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastic business. PCR plastics are made by collecting and sorting used plastics according to certain standards for reuse.
DS Dansuk has accelerated investment in facilities and commercialization related to PCR plastics, and through its subsidiary DS PCR, it has secured the capacity to sort 15,000 tons of waste plastic annually. Additionally, using the sorted waste plastics as raw materials, the company produces PCR plastic compounding materials—such as PP, PE, ABS, and HIPS—for use in electronics, textiles, and packaging.
At DS Dansuk headquarters stands a large globe—symbolizing the spatial philosophy of its leader.
“A company accumulates time. The experiences we go through determine where we should and shouldn’t go. As a leader, one must decide whether to be a manager or an entrepreneur. Those obsessed with quarterly results may only manage, but those who draw the big picture become entrepreneurs. I want to draw that big picture and lead DS Dansuk beyond 60 years toward its 100th anniversary.”
When asked about the company’s 60th anniversary, Chairman Han reflected with themes of time and philosophy—hallmarks of his unique leadership. DS Dansuk’s 60-year journey has been one of survival, growth, crisis, and adaptation—not merely technological development or revenue expansion. He emphasized that understanding the difference between a manager and an entrepreneur is key to sustainable business.
After completing military service in 1983, Han joined the company at the request of his father, the late founder Han Joo-il, starting at the bottom. After 30 years, he became CEO in 2012.
“It usually takes 20 to 30 years to become an executive in a large company, but their average tenure is only 2.7 years. That’s too short to build and execute long-term plans. Entrepreneurs must uphold a long-term philosophy. Looking back at DS Dansuk’s 60 years, we overcame crises that once seemed insurmountable—and those moments always led to new opportunities.”
Han Joo-il, originally from North Korea’s Hamgyong Province, founded Nobel Chemical Industries in 1965 during Korea’s industrial infancy. He passed down three core philosophies to his son: invest in technology, maintain financial soundness, and give back to society. Chairman Han believes that boldly abandoning less viable businesses and pivoting was key to DS Dansuk’s successful transition into a circular resource and energy company.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025, DS Dansuk has transformed from a traditional chemical company into a leader in bio-renewable energy. Its values have evolved into regeneration, reduction, neutrality, and restoration. Han Seung-wook’s ultimate goal is to build a 100-year company that sets the standard in the global resource circulation and energy industry.
Chairman Han stated that DS Dansuk aims to grow beyond simply developing and selling products; he envisions it as a company that sets benchmarks for technology, quality, and ESG in both national and industrial contexts. He especially emphasized that "ESG should be regarded not as a matter of morality, but as a management strategy."
“ESG management is not about making declarations—it’s about design and execution. Recognizing the severity of the climate crisis, protecting the environment through greenhouse gas reduction, carbon mitigation, and improved energy efficiency has become a global standard that no one can ignore. If a company pursues both social responsibility and long-term value, it will not only achieve sustainable growth, but also contribute to greater social value.”
Han Seung-wook, Chairman of DS Dansuk – The Courage to Turn Crisis into Opportunity
DS Dansuk experienced two major fires in 2003 and 2008, completely destroying its fatty acid production facilities. The disaster was tantamount to losing one of the company’s key growth engines.
Chairman Han made the bold decision to shut down the existing business line. “We gave up a major business pillar to pursue a new opportunity in bioenergy,” he recalled. “It wasn’t an easy choice, but had we clung to short-term sales, the losses would’ve been far greater.” Reflecting on the time, he said, “Knowing when to exit decisively is also a responsibility of an entrepreneur.”
Just three months after the fire, in September 2008, the Lehman Brothers crisis hit, severely impacting domestic companies importing vegetable and animal oils, including feed companies. The plummeting won and rapid foreign capital outflow led to another contraction in business. Yet, determined to bounce back, Han built a biodiesel plant on the burned-down site in December of that year, installing two distillers and expanding production facilities.
Overcoming both a devastating fire and a global financial crisis, DS Dansuk’s venture into bioenergy has grown to become a major revenue source alongside battery and plastic recycling. Of these, bioenergy has seen the fastest and most robust growth.
“Our bioenergy has several advantages. It performs similarly to diesel, making it compatible with existing cars, ships, and airplanes. It also has excellent lubrication properties. While first-generation biodiesel (FAME) uses plant oils and waste oils, second-generation biodiesel (HVO – Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) can also use animal fats. It is less sensitive to raw material quality and mixes well with diesel due to similar properties.”
The main feedstocks for biodiesel include used cooking oil and vegetable oils. HVO, as the next-generation biodiesel, is a hydrogenated version of these oils. Unlike petroleum-derived diesel, biodiesel is a renewable fuel applicable across aviation, shipping, and land transport. DS Dansuk has expanded from first-generation to second-generation biodiesel. Its HVO pre-treatment unit (HVO-PTU) was designed based on a global license and can process various feedstocks including animal fats, used cooking oil (UCO), and palm oil mill effluent (POME). The advanced impurity removal process enables production of high-quality sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by drastically reducing metal residues, solids, chlorides, sulfur, and nitrogen.
Replacing 1 kiloliter of diesel with biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 2.6 tons. It also significantly cuts emissions of sulfur dioxide, fine dust, and carbon monoxide. South Korea mandates biodiesel blending in diesel fuel, and this obligation has increased from 0.5% in 2006 to 4.0% in 2024.
“Amid tightening global emissions regulations, especially in the U.S. and EU, the biodiesel industry is expected to grow significantly. To keep pace, DS Dansuk is strategically promoting the HVO business as a sustainable growth driver, proactively establishing the necessary HVO-PTU facilities.”
DS Dansuk is also a leader in the bio-heavy oil market for power generation, utilizing by-products of biodiesel production, food waste oil, and palm residues. Its compatibility with existing bunker C oil power plants makes it a stable and eco-friendly alternative, reducing fine dust, nitrogen oxides, greenhouse gases, and sulfur oxides.
Bio-marine fuel is also emerging as a viable alternative, and DS Dansuk achieved its first export to Europe in 2022 after obtaining European certification—widely regarded as the global standard.
“My late father always emphasized, ‘Invest in technology.’ To other companies, our R&D investments might seem disproportionate to profits. But technology investment isn’t about short-term performance—it’s often the breakthrough for long-term survival. DS Dansuk declares a new vision every five years to drive constant innovation.”
Han stated that declaring and sharing a new vision across the organization is the first priority in leadership. In the "Digital Driven 2025" vision announced in 2020, the company aimed for KRW 1 trillion in sales, a goal it achieved 2–3 years ahead of schedule. On July 1, the company’s 60th anniversary, Han is unveiling a new vision: “Global Top-Tier Resource Circulation Energy Company.” Under the values of Regeneration, Reduction, Neutrality, and Restoration, the company aims to build a cleaner world through sustainable energy. The strategy includes expanding the value chains of second-gen biodiesel and SAF, and scaling plastic recycling based on petrochemical expertise.
