OTOM to Begin Production in the Philippines, Enter Market in Abu Dhabi... Global Localization Strategy Takes Shape

After SKD and Joint AI Development with PSE-listed IONICS Group,
OTOM Forms Strategic Partnership with Abdulla Group in the UAE

Photo - On September 16, 2026, at the AINKO Korea-Abu Dhabi Industrial Cooperation and MOU Signing Ceremony held at JW Marriott Hotel in Seoul, Soeun Kwon, Head of Planning Division at Autom (front row left), and Omar Najim, Director of Abdulgroups (front row right), are taking a commemorative photo with officials. (Provided by Autom)

The global business strategy of OTOM Co., Ltd., a specialist in portable X-ray and medical imaging AI, is rapidly taking shape. Earlier this month, the company launched local production and joint AI research and development in partnership with IONICS EMS, a leading electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company in the Philippines. Now, it is teaming up with Abdulla Group (Abdulla Group·AG Company) in the UAE to enter the Middle Eastern medical market, using Abu Dhabi as a base.

In the Philippines, OTOM aims to secure capabilities in manufacturing, engineering, and joint AI development. In the UAE, its focus is on investment, regulatory approvals, local manufacturing, and market entry. Observers note the significance of OTOM’s overseas business model evolving from individual product exports and distribution network expansion to a holistic approach connecting 'local production–licensing–AI localization–distribution–market entry' into an integrated pipeline.

On September 2, OTOM signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with IONICS EMS at its headquarters and factory in Gwangju Metropolitan City. IONICS EMS is a core manufacturing subsidiary controlled by Ionics, Inc., which is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), and provides manufacturing, product development, engineering, and supply chain services to global OEMs.

IONICS EMS handles PCBA and finished product assembly, new product introduction (NPI), and supply chain management, and has obtained ISO 13485 certification for medical device quality management systems. Under this agreement, OTOM and IONICS EMS will collaborate on the semi-knocked down (SKD) production of the ultra-lightweight portable X-ray "MINE ALNU" in the Philippines and the joint research and development of the medical imaging AI "O-View."

The two companies are not simply supplying products, but are also establishing assembly, testing, and quality control systems, while considering AI localization and clinical verification tailored to the Philippine medical environment. In particular, they plan to develop a local business model targeting the country’s medical institutions, public health sectors, and tuberculosis (TB) screening market, with discussions to expand further into the ASEAN market in the future.

With the manufacturing and R&D segments established in the Philippines, OTOM’s second destination is Abu Dhabi, the core industrial and financial center of the Middle East. On September 16, at the "AINKO Korea-Abu Dhabi Industrial Cooperation and MOU Signing Ceremony" held at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, OTOM entered into a strategic MOU with Abdulla Group in the UAE. Through this partnership, OTOM will consider establishing a local business base in conjunction with the planned "Abu Dhabi K-Industry Hub," covering approximately 2 million square meters.

OTOM's UAE expansion is shifting from a strategy solely focused on securing distribution channels for single products to a broader approach that includes establishing a local business foundation.

The Abu Dhabi K-Industry Hub is a project being promoted to create an industrial complex in Abu Dhabi exclusively for Korean companies, driven by UAE-based AG Company and Korean business partners. UAE national news agency WAM also reported last July on AG Company's strategic cooperation with Korean partners and the signing of MOUs with 15 Korean companies.

The project is currently being developed to link local manufacturing and entry to the GCC market, encompassing industries such as manufacturing and advanced materials, energy, ICT and smart cities, bio and healthcare, as well as logistics and mobility. Abdulla Group acts as the UAE’s strategic partner for the project, overseeing local business development and consultations with relevant organizations.

Through this collaboration, OTOM plans to sequentially explore opportunities to: manufacture and assemble MINE ALNU and O-View locally in the UAE, secure medical device regulatory approvals, localize its AI, connect with local healthcare facilities and distribution networks, identify investors and business partners, and access both government and private healthcare markets.

The industry is paying attention to the fact that OTOM's recent overseas collaborations are not independent but interconnected. The partnership with IONICS EMS in the Philippines is focused on establishing local manufacturing, mass production, and joint AI development. In contrast, the partnership with Abdulla Group in Abu Dhabi is characterized by building a business development platform connecting local investment, industrial infrastructure, regulatory approvals, manufacturing bases, and medical market entry.

This interconnectedness clarifies the global business model that OTOM envisions. Core technologies and products are developed in Korea, while localized production and AI adaptation occur overseas, with direct links to each country’s medical device regulatory approval, distribution, and healthcare market. The company plans to optimize local manufacturing and supply chains according to the conditions of each country, while advancing the O-View AI algorithm to reflect local medical data and clinical environments.

If this model is successfully established as a real business, OTOM could transform from a mere portable X-ray manufacturer into a medical imaging platform company with hardware, medical imaging AI, and local manufacturing and distribution networks all under its belt.

An OTOM representative stated, "Our collaborations with the Philippines and UAE are not two isolated overseas MOUs, but are part of OTOM’s overarching global localization strategy. In the Philippines, we focus on securing manufacturing, engineering, and joint AI development capabilities, while in the UAE, our priority is on connecting investment, regulatory approvals, and market entry."

The representative continued, "The company’s objective is not simply to increase the number of overseas partners. What is important is to create a global business model that connects production, regulatory approvals, AI localization, distribution, and market entry with competitive partners in each country, ultimately translating this into tangible revenue growth."

OTOM plans to sequentially announce detailed achievements based on subsequent negotiations and commercialization stages in both the Philippines and the UAE.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.