(Left) Lee Min-gyu, CEO of PLANM, and Marcus Huber, Director of Bryden Wood, sign a business agreement at the PLANM branch office in Songdo, Incheon, on the 14th. (Photo: Courtesy of PLANM)
(Daehan Economy = Reporter Kim Min-su) Advanced overseas modular technology is expected to be introduced to the portable school modular market.
According to industry sources on the 28th, PLANM Co., Ltd. (CEO Lee Min-gyu), a manufacturer of portable modular classrooms, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bryden Wood, a prominent British design and engineering firm. Markus Huber, Director at Bryden Wood, personally visited PLANM’s branch office in Songdo, Incheon, to meet with CEO Lee Min-gyu and other key officials.
Through this agreement, the two companies plan to share specialized technical personnel and collaborate on developing a standardized modular system using DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly). DfMA is a design methodology focused on optimizing components and assemblies to make production and assembly more efficient.
The results of this collaboration will first be applied to school modular units, which are currently PLANM’s flagship business. PLANM specializes in the design and manufacture of portable modular schools used as temporary facilities during the renovation or remodeling of aged classrooms. Under this partnership, PLANM expects to produce modular schools with significantly enhanced structural performance and quality by applying optimized designs provided by Bryden Wood.
The two companies will also conduct joint technical cooperation to discover global modular markets and engage in research projects for modular component development. To facilitate overseas expansion, PLANM plans to develop modular types that comply with the international standard specifications of various countries. The primary targets for expansion include the European market, where Bryden Wood possesses extensive know-how and technological prowess, as well as the U.S. market.
Headquartered in London, Bryden Wood is a British design and engineering firm specializing in DfMA and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The company has applied modular design to high-profile projects, including terminal construction at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, the London 2012 Olympic Village, pharmaceutical facilities for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer, the London Tottenham Underground station, and global big-tech data centers.
Lee Min-gyu, CEO of PLANM, stated, "Through this agreement, we expect to see synergy between the two companies across various fields beyond schools, including buildings and housing. Along with Bryden Wood, we will secure technological competitiveness to not only enter the global modular market but also establish ourselves as a leading provider with the best technology in the modular business sector."
