[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyung-il ] KNS CO., LTD(432470), a company specializing in unmanned automation for high-tech industries, announced on the 11th that it continued its steep earnings growth in the third quarter, driven by an increase in orders for 4680 (46-pi) cylindrical battery equipment and expanded performance in the robotics business division of its Vietnam subsidiary.

On a consolidated basis, KNS CO., LTD recorded cumulative revenue of 47.8 billion won in the third quarter of this year, a 36.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Operating profit for the same period rose 144.4% to 3.9 billion won, while net profit stood at 1.3 billion won, maintaining a profitable trend but showing a slight decrease.

However, this loss—which does not involve a cash outflow—was primarily due to valuation losses on investment assets resulting from the recent stock market decline. Excluding these valuation losses, cumulative net income stood at approximately 4.2 billion won, and KNS CO., LTD explained that net income could improve as the stock market recovers.

On a non-consolidated basis, KNS CO., LTD reported third-quarter revenue of 17.4 billion won, a 104.3% increase year-over-year. During the same period, operating profit turned to a profit of 900 million won, and net profit rose 137.1% to 500 million won. This significant revenue growth was driven by the rechargeable battery automation equipment business. In the third quarter, 74% of the company’s revenue came from the rechargeable battery automation equipment sector.

KNS CO., LTD specializes in supplying current interruptors (CIDs), automated riveting systems, and assembly and inspection equipment used in the manufacturing of 2170 and 46-pai cylindrical batteries. Cylindrical batteries are expanding their applications beyond electric vehicles to include energy storage systems (ESS) for data centers and humanoid robots, led by Tesla and major domestic battery manufacturers.

The growth of the Vietnam subsidiary also contributed significantly to the expansion of third-quarter revenue and improved profitability. The Vietnam subsidiary’s cumulative revenue for the third quarter reached 14.8 billion won, an 87.7% increase compared to the same period last year. This result stems from diversifying the customer base for its robot foundry business—including becoming a Tier 1 vendor for a leading South Korean global semiconductor company, following its work with a Japanese global corporation—and securing new orders in the local unmanned automation equipment sector.

In particular, profitability at the Vietnam subsidiary improved significantly as high-margin businesses expanded. The Vietnam subsidiary’s cumulative operating profit margin for the third quarter was 12.9%, up 10.2 percentage points year-over-year. Recently, the company has been building a track record of supply in the physical AI sensor automation sector, including the recent completion of a camera module automation equipment supply to Haesung Optics Co.,Ltd.

A KNS CO., LTD official stated, “The simultaneous growth of rechargeable battery equipment—essential for the mass production of 46-phi cylindrical batteries—and the Vietnamese subsidiary’s robotics business drove this improvement in performance,” adding, “We will strengthen our supply capabilities to meet global demand for battery and physical AI automation equipment and continue to grow our performance.”

Meanwhile, KNS CO., LTD has decided to expand its production facilities by constructing a new plant in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. With completion targeted for early next year, the plant’s annual production capacity (CAPA) is expected to increase by approximately 100% compared to current levels. Based on this expansion, the company plans to meet the demand for next-generation cylindrical battery equipment and unmanned physical AI automation equipment.