TRUE OR FALSE
TYM has been called 'TYM' since its founding
FALSE
TYM was called "Tongyang Trading" when it was first established in 1951. The company then merged with Fujian Enterpriuses to become "Tongyang Corporation" and was also called "Tong Yang Moolsan". Eventually, this name was shortened to "TYM". In 2020, the company initiated a brand transformation program to strengthen global presence. While the brand visualization and logo evolved, the company remains "TYM" today.
TRUE OR FALSE
TYM is yet to win a design award for products or brand
FALSE
TYM has won several domestic and international design competitions, including the "Good Design Award" from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Association. In 2016, several TYM machines were awarded "Design Excellency" by the Korea Institute of Design Promotion. Among the award-winning models at the time was the C360, or the now called T36 in Korea. As a brand in 2021, TYM won two golds and a silver award from the UK-based "Transform Awards" brand magazine. It also was awarded bronze at the US-based B2B Marketing Elevation Awards.
TRUE OR FALSE
The TYM chairman dreamed of a career as a cartoonist
TRUE
Hiyong Kim, chairman of TYM, had excellent dexterity from a young age and dreamed of becoming a Korean cartoonist with real-world drawings. Despite the opposition of his father, the chairman worked to pay tuition fees as an art major while studying in the United States. Ultimately, the chairman chose to follow in his father's footsteps as a businessman, but his passion for drawing and cartoons carries on. For a long time, he offered financial aid to struggling cartoonists and also served as the honorary president of the Korea Cartoonists Association.
TRUE OR FALSE
A TYM tractor was once driven cross-country in South Korea
TRUE
Kang Ki-Tae was born on a farm in the Gyeongsang province of Korea. Before he graduated from college, he became deeply inspired by the movie "Motorcycle Diaries" and challenged himself to go cross-country with a tractor. In 2008, for the first time in Korea's history, Kang Ki-Tae set of on his trip with a TYM tractor, travelling around the country on a TYM tractor for 6 months. With the help of tractors and fuel from TYM, he traveled over 4,000 km in 43 cities across the country. He compiled his travel journals and published a book called "The 180-Day Tractor Diary" in Korea.
TRUE OR FALSE
TYM is Korea’s first agricultural machinery company to declare a commitment to ESG
TRUE
While sustainability initiatives have gained popularity with the UNSDG (sustainable development goals) and ESG (Environmental Social Governance) in South Korea, TYM was the first agricultural machinery company to announce a commitment, strategy and plan to continuously improve sustainability. While supporting revenue growth, the initiatives will analyze the net impact and net function it entails on society and the environment. TYM has formed a dedicated ESG committee and secretariat to put these plans into practice and coexist in harmony with local communities and suppliers. One of the recent ESG initiatives from TYM was providing free tractors to young people who are returning to farming in Korea, supporting the farmers’ careers and promoting agricultural self-sufficiency in the country.
TRUE OR FALSE
TYM once produced a proprietary type of garlic
TRUE
In 2002, the research institute at TYM engineered a unique type of garlic. The initiative was aimed at offering a competitive option over Chinese garlic varieties, and therefore support domestic farmers in Korea. Using tissue culture innovations, the scientists created a virus-resistant garlic with whites seeds and 6 to 7 cloves. This is in contrast to regular garlic, which with 10 to 13 cloves.
Now, you're likely to have learned something new about TYM! You can discover more about about TYM Tractors, explore the latest developments or keep reading stories.
*Image courtesy: Ki-Tae Kang, cross-country traveller
