Shinhwa Auto USA, an aluminum parts manufacturer for the automotive industry, opened a new production facility in Auburn, Alabama, in August 2024. The company’s third expansion in Auburn provides added capacity for EV auto manufacturers in the USA. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was used to protect key concrete structures against deterioration and extend the service life of the new facility.
The largest city in eastern Alabama, Auburn is known as the "Loveliest Village on the Plains." With around 80,000 inhabitants and a lively downtown, the city is home to well-known Auburn University (football!), the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center, and the nearby Chewacla State Park.
Shinhwa Auto USA is a leading supplier of aluminum die cast parts to the North American automobile industry. Their products include key components such as drive shafts and axle assemblies. The company first selected Auburn as its USA manufacturing site in 2019 and this new project adds a 170,000 ft2 production building to Shinhwa’s campus in Auburn Technology Park West.
The $114 million expansion adds capacity to Shinhwa’s die casting operations and associated processes to produce control arm, knuckle, carrier, and motor housing covers used in the production of electric vehicle parts for Hyundai, Kia, and other automakers in North America.
Due to the generally high groundwater levels in eastern Alabama, the Shinhwa Auto USA project manager specified PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline admixture, for the below-grade concrete manufacturing pits.
“The manufacturing pits in Auburn are essentially concrete boxes recessed into the factory floor – where they can be highly susceptible to groundwater intrusion,” adds Christopher Chen, Director of The Penetron Group. “Over time, this can directly affect the structural integrity of the foundation structures of the whole production facility if not adequately protected.”
Thanks to previous success with many similar projects across the USA, Penetron’s crystalline admixture was quickly approved as a long-term concrete waterproofing solution for the Auburn facility.
“Shinhwa recognized the benefits of PENETRON ADMIX SB to reduce concrete waterproofing costs and extend the service life of the treated concrete structures,” notes Christopher Chen.
Ready Mix USA, the project’s ready-mix concrete supplier, added PENETRON ADMIX SB – in pre-measured soluble bags – to the concrete mix during the batching phase for the manufacturing pits.
Once added to concrete, the active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX SB create a non-soluble crystalline network, which forms throughout the pores, capillaries, and microcracks of the concrete. This network significantly increases the durability and service life of concrete and also gives the concrete structures in Auburn the ability to self-heal and seal any microcracks that may occur in the future. As a result, the need for future concrete repairs is virtually eliminated.
“Waterproofing and protecting concrete with PENETRON ADMIX SB has been proven to enhance the durability and service life of any concrete structure,” concludes Christopher Chen.
Shinhwa builds on Penetron: At the Shinhwa aluminum die cast production plant for the automobile industry, the manufacturing pits of the 170,000 ft2 plant are waterproofed with PENETRON ADMIX.
