AETHER CT

DS Aether CT - Busan Head Office

Located in the Inno Valley industrial complex in Gangseo-gu, Busan — about a 40-minute drive from Busan Station — DUKSAN AETHER CT sits at the heart of South Korea's hydrogen economy. The company plays a vital role in two of the most critical links in the hydrogen value chain: storage and transportation.

The Hydrogen Value Chain

The hydrogen value chain flows through five key stages: Production → Storage → Transportation → Charging → Utilization. Hydrogen generated at production facilities must be compressed and stored, then transported to refueling stations where it powers vehicles ranging from passenger cars to buses. Because hydrogen is a high-pressure compressed gas, safety is paramount — making the storage and transportation stages especially crucial.

#1 in Type 1 Hydrogen Cylinders for Storage and Transport

Step onto the DUKSAN AETHER CT production floor and one thing immediately catches the eye: rows of bright orange cylinders, each standing nearly 12 meters tall (40 feet) — the company's flagship Type 1 hydrogen vessels.

Hydrogen cylinders are classified into four types based on their materials and construction. Type 1 cylinders are made entirely of metal. Types 2 and 3 reinforce a metal liner with glass fiber or carbon fiber wrapping, while Type 4 uses a non-metallic liner (typically plastic) fully wrapped in carbon fiber. Since hydrogen molecules are extremely small, high-pressure compression is essential to maximize storage efficiency — placing extraordinary demands on cylinder strength and durability.

DUKSAN AETHER CT holds the No. 1 market share in Type 1 cylinders in South Korea. Its product lineup includes tube trailers for transportation and ASME-certified storage vessels for hydrogen refueling stations. Virtually every Type 1 tube trailer currently in operation across the country carries the DUKSAN AETHER CT name.

"Quality has always been our top priority. When it comes to internal surface treatment, we are confident we are second to none in the world."

— Company representative

That confidence is backed by formal recognition. The company has been designated a "Top Sobujan (Materials·Parts·Equipment) Company" by the Korean government — an honor reserved for firms with the nation's highest technological capabilities and growth potential in strategic fields. It has also been named a "Hydrogen Specialized Company" by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and a "Global IP Star Company" by the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

Advancing into Type 4: The Future of Hydrogen Mobility

DUKSAN AETHER CT is now setting its sights on the next frontier: Type 4 hydrogen cylinders for mobility applications.

Lighter and more pressure-flexible than their metal counterparts, Type 4 cylinders are capable of storing greater volumes of hydrogen — making them ideal for hydrogen buses, hydrogen trams, and hydrogen passenger vehicles where weight savings are critical. Simply put, no hydrogen vehicle can exist without a Type 4 cylinder, meaning the growth of the hydrogen mobility market and the growth of Type 4 are inseparable.

The company has developed technology that reduces cylinder weight compared to competitors while simultaneously expanding storage capacity — strengthening its price competitiveness. DUKSAN AETHER CT became the first company in South Korea to develop and certify a Type 4 cylinder capable of withstanding ultra-high pressure of 100 MPa, earning both KGS and ASME certifications.

"By utilizing domestically produced carbon fiber, we have secured a stable cost structure while achieving parts localization. Our proprietary winding technology allows our cylinders to withstand the same pressure as conventional products using less carbon fiber."

— Company representative

This technology earned industry validation in 2024, when DUKSAN AETHER CT was selected as the Type 4 cylinder manufacturer and mass-production supplier for Woojin Industrial Systems' hydrogen fuel cell buses. With mass production and supply underway since 2024, the company has extended its reach beyond storage and transport into the utilization stage of the hydrogen value chain — marking a new chapter in its growth story.

Type 4 Cylinder Module for Hydrogen Mobility

“Rendering of Duksan Ether C&T’s New Wanju Plant”

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Sourced: www.etnews.com