Quick test. Which is the biggest car production facility globally? If your answer wasn’t Hyundai Motor Group’s huge complex located in Ulsan, South Korea, then you guessed incorrectly.
Even though Hyundai might not come to mind for many people—including myself—it does make sense because HMG is the global leader in automotive manufacturing, ranking third worldwide with sales totaling 7.23 million vehicles in 2024. Notably, the Ulsan facility alone accounted for 1.52 million units of this impressive figure.
It's Huge, Truly Enormous
Continually growing and enhancing, the Ulsan complex now spans approximately 54 million square feet (5 million square meters), equivalent to about 700 football fields. This expansive site employs around 31,000 workers who contribute to manufacturing up to 4,500 cars daily, with these automobiles being shipped out to more than 200 nations worldwide.
In technical terms, HMG’s facility in Ulsan doesn’t function as just one factory; rather, it comprises numerous production lines housed inside a single large compound. These individual facilities operate flexible assembly lines capable of manufacturing various vehicle models simultaneously. During my tour, I observed Genesis G70 sedans being assembled alongside rows of Hyundai Palisade SUVs.
To add more adaptability, the assembly line can simultaneously build cars destined for various international markets. For instance, a G70 intended for Germany could be succeeded by a Palisade meant for Canada. This demands additional coordination since parts, finishes, and features may vary between regions. Even with this increased intricacy, when I visited, sizable ceiling-mounted monitors showed the facility’s present UPH rate, indicating it was operating at 26.7 units per hour.
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Exporting from Within
The primary factor enabling the Ulsan plant to produce such high volumes of cars stems from its strategic geographic position. Situated along the coast in Ulsan, Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) boasts an internal shipping harbor. This allows the company to transport vehicles directly from the production line to ships without additional handling, significantly cutting down time and costs.
Currently, up to two or three vessels have the capacity to arrive at the facility daily, with each ship transporting between 5,000 to over 6,000 vehicles per trip, varying based on their size. While I was visiting, we were granted an extremely uncommon chance to explore one of these ships, and the whole process was remarkably fascinating.
Aboard the Morning Christina
Called the Morning Christina The vessel we embarked upon was constructed in 2010 and features 11 levels designed for cars. Upon arriving at the harbor, the ballast tanks are devoid of water, causing the ship to sit remarkably elevated above the sea surface as cargo is added.
Given that between 10,000 to 18,000 vehicles are transported daily, every moment counts, and for the drivers, time equals money. enthusiastically Guide the vehicles through the loading dock, up the incline, and aboard the vessel. Soon after, a transport van makes its way to whichever deck is currently being loaded, picks up the operators, and returns ashore to fetch additional ones. This process continues throughout the day until all ships reach their capacity.
After we boarded, the captain told us that the vessel, which has a crew of 21 people, would travel from Ulsan, South Korea, to California, USA, in approximately 13 days, provided there were no significant weather disruptions. Once this journey was complete, the ship would be unloaded prior to returning to Ulsan for the subsequent voyage.
Whenever I consider the numerous massive vessels performing identical tasks every single day, it highlights just how vast the planet’s biggest production hub truly is. This realization really hits home for me.
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