It was initially believed that the batteries supplied by Samsung SDI – the conglomerate's battery division- were causing the Galaxy Note 7 to catch fire. Samsung switched over to another supplier for the phablet and while that should have put an end to the fires, it was only a matter of time before replacement Galaxy Note 7 units started catching fire as well. Nevertheless, reports suggested that Samsung SDI had grown complacent because it was receiving the bulk of its business from sister company Samsung Electronics and that wasn't something that was going to change.
Samsung SDI's reputation has suffered an impact because of the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco so it makes sense for the company's CEO Cho Nam-seong to reiterate during his New Year's talk to employees that the company should establish a corporate culture “that puts safety first.” This realization comes amid growing demand for batteries that power complex mobile devices and electric cars.
The company is planning to improve product safety by innovating its design and manufacturing methods, overhauling its system and organization and expanding investment in safety. “As to mid- to large-sized batteries, we will develop high-capacity products, and in terms of small batteries, we will improve polymer technologies and take the leadership in cylindrical batteries,” the CEO added.
He's not the only Samsung executive to remind employees that safety should be the utmost priority. Samsung Electronics CEO also reiterated during his New Year's talk that there should be no compromise on product quality.
