- Improved Revenue and Profitability Driven by Continued Growth in Copolyester Demand and O/I Optimization Efforts
- Strengthening Technological Barriers in Copolyester and Expanding Recycling Business Initiatives
Following its strong performance last year despite the industry-wide downturn, SK chemicals has continued its growth momentum into the first quarter.
SK chemicals (President & CEO Ahn Jae-hyun) announced on May 8 a provisional disclosure that it recorded KRW 347.1 billion in revenue and KRW 36.9 billion in operating profit on a separate basis for the first quarter of this year. This represents a 9.4% increase in revenue and a 98.5% increase in operating profit compared to the same period last year.
The company attributes the improvement in both revenue and profitability to the continued growth in market demand for its core product line of high-performance copolyester plastics, along with ongoing Operation Improvement (O/I) efforts aimed at strengthening its fundamental competitiveness.
Copolyester is a material with enhanced properties such as superior heat and chemical resistance compared to conventional polyester-based materials like PET. While the market for copolyester is rapidly expanding, its commercialization requires advanced technological capabilities, and only a limited number of companies worldwide have successfully achieved this.
Koh Jeong-seok, Head of the Management Support Division at SK chemicals, stated, “In today’s chemical industry, where market conditions are shifting rapidly and production competition is intensifying, it is more important than ever to establish a proprietary domain that latecomers cannot easily enter.” He added, “We plan to further strengthen our technological capabilities in the copolyester segment through continuous R&D, technology development, and company-wide O/I initiatives, while expanding new businesses such as recycling to maintain strong performance.”
Meanwhile, according to the consolidated financial statements for the first quarter of 2025, including the performance of its subsidiaries, SK chemicals recorded KRW 536.6 billion in revenue and KRW 24.3 billion in operating profit, marking a return to profitability.
# Photo Description: SK chemicals’ headquarters ECO LAB located in Pangyo, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do