Hyundai VIP Tour

On the 22nd September 2013, E P Industries Ltd managing director Eddie Pilsworth invited Martin Lewis of E P Industries sales team, Paul Begley (director of East Midlands Civil Engineering) and Iain Devine (director of L.E.S. Group) to join him on a V.I.P. tour to Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea along with a number of other dealer staff and customers from across Europe. Here's what they got up to...

We departed from London Heathrow Airport on an overnight flight bound for Seoul, arriving on the 23rd September, then a connecting flight onto Pusan towards the very south of the country.
Stopping at the Hyundai Hotel Kyoung Ju we had a number of hours to sample a variety of the hotel drinks (alcoholic of course), trying to establish which was the best, and then a poor attempt of catching up on the jet lag.


Tuesday 24th: 
We all experienced a tour and behind the scenes look at the manufacture of not only the excavators along the production line, but also an eye opening insight into the construction of ships in the dry docks.
In the evening we were treated to our welcome party including a phenomenal 13 year old pianist, an operatic performance and a orchestra showing there talents. All along with some outstanding culinary delights.

Wednesday 25th:
We travelled by coach to another of Hyundai’s factory complexes for a demonstration of construction equipment, with machines across the full range being operated to and beyond there capabilities. After this we continued on up the country to the Millennium Hotel in Seoul where we were to stay for the remainder of our tour.1

Thursday 26th:
Free time, and a choice of destinations to go to, we all visited Minsok Village in Yongin, a museum displaying elements of traditional Korean life and culture, this was followed by a performance of Mi-So an original Korean musical very similar to Romeo & Juliet.
Onto a restaurant to experience true South Korean cuisine, it was at this stage we established why there are no overweight Korean’s.

Friday 27th:
Once again free time, after a BBQ at a local restaurant we had a choice, ours was the dizzy heights of Seoul tower and the exceptional views over this vibrant city from the observation platforms.
In the evening we had our leaving party, all week we had been pestered by our tour guide Cindy to do a performance of “Gangnam Style” with one of the other dealer staff as our front man; this evening was the point of no return. As a team we took the stage, and as a team we dominated over the rest of Europe, good old Blighty wins again.

Saturday 28th:
We leave South Korea sleep derivated, and probably with our livers a little worse for wear, however, an experience that I am sure I speak for us all, would not change for the world. An amazing insight into the manufacturing process of Hyundai Heavy Industries along with a brief glimpse of the South Korean hospitality and way of life.
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