Hanwha FAQ: Your Questions About Materials, Sourcing, and Practical Solutions

I'm the office administrator for a 300-person industrial parts manufacturer. I manage all our material and supply ordering—roughly $500,000 annually across eight core vendors. When I took over purchasing in 2020, I had to learn fast. So here's a FAQ covering the questions I actually get asked (and a couple I wish someone had answered for me).

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What exactly is the Hanwha portal, and how do I use it?

The Hanwha portal (hanwha.com) is the main access point for their entire product catalog. I've been using it for about three years now. You register for an account (your company's tax ID helps speed things up), and then you can search for materials, request quotes, and download technical datasheets. What I like: you can filter by polymer type—EVA, polycarbonate, nylon, PTFE, silicone, you name it. What I don't like: the search isn't always intuitive. If you're hunting for something specific (like 'SILICONE GRADE XYZ'), you're better off calling their tech support. They're good at pointing you to the right product.

2. Is Hanwha Total EVA the same as regular EVA?

Sort of, but not exactly. Hanwha Total EVA is a specific grade lineup they produce in partnership with their petrochemicals division. It's known for consistent melt flow index and low gel content—which matters if you're making things like solar panel encapsulants or foam sheets. I've ordered both standard EVA and Total EVA. For general molding, standard works fine. For anything with strict clarity or thermal stability requirements, Total EVA is worth the premium. I still kick myself for not checking the datasheet on an early order—grabbed the wrong grade, wasted a production run. Don't be me.

3. How is polycarbonate actually produced? (I need to explain this to a client)

Not a chemist here, but I've had to explain this to clients who want to know if our parts meet specs. Polycarbonate production (the common method is melt polycondensation) involves reacting bisphenol A with phosgene or using diphenyl carbonate. What that means practically: it creates a polymer that's transparent, impact-resistant, and heat-tolerant up to about 130°C. Hanwha produces their own polycarbonate (they call it HPC grades) in Korea. Per their technical literature (which you can download from their portal), the base resin comes in standard flow, low flow, and UV-stabilized varieties. I've found the UV-stabilized grade handles outdoor exposure better than some competitors I've tried.

4. What does a hydraulic hose logo mean, and do I need to care?

This question comes up more than you'd think. I used to ignore logos on hoses—until a supplier sent us something unmarked, and our safety inspector flagged it. A hydraulic hose logo (like the brand imprint along the side) tells you the manufacturer and the standard it meets (EN 853, SAE 100R1AT, etc.). No logo? It's likely a grey-market or regrade product. For anything carrying high pressure, always get hoses with clearly marked logos and traceable batch numbers. That unreliable supplier cost me a headache once—never again. Hanwha doesn't make hydraulic hoses directly (they focus on raw materials), but they do supply the PTFE and rubber compounds that go into them. So if you're sourcing raw material for hose manufacturing, they're a solid option.

5. How to glue foam board together? (Seriously, I manage this)

Yeah, this is one of those questions I get from maintenance. For bonding foam board (like polystyrene or polyethylene foam), you can't just use any adhesive—the solvents in some glues dissolve the foam. Here's what I've found works (based on my own trial, error, and supplier recommendations):

• For polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) foams: Use a hot-melt adhesive or a water-based contact cement. Solvent-based glues (like rubber cement) eat through these.
• For expanded polystyrene (EPS): Special EPS-safe adhesives only. Standard 'construction adhesive' will melt it into a puddle. Don't ask how I know.
• For EVA foam (like sheets): You can use cyanoacrylate (super glue) or a urethane-based adhesive. I've had excellent luck with 3M Super 77 spray adhesive for EVA foam projects.

A good vendor will tell you what NOT to use—not just what they sell. Which brings me to my last point.

6. Why should I trust a supplier who says 'this isn't our strength'?

Honestly? Because they're saving you time and failed projects. I've worked with Hanwha on several complex polymer orders, and they've flat-out told me when another supplier was a better fit for a specific niche grade. That earned my trust. The vendor who said 'this isn't our strength—here's who does it better' got my business for everything else. I'd rather work with a specialist who knows their limits than a generalist who overpromises and leaves me holding the bag. It's a lesson I've learned the hard way.

One final thought: I've hit 'confirm' on a large order and immediately thought 'did I make the right call?' The two weeks until delivery were stressful. But the material arrived on spec, the invoice was clean, and my accounting team stopped complaining. That's the goal, right?