The 100x success story of protective film manufacturer Pontree

In 2021, protective film manufacturer Pontree moved into its own office building, a picturesque architectural delight in Gimpo Hangang New Town. Pontree’s sales, led by its flagship brand Healing Shield, hit nearly 20 billion won (around 15.6 million dollars) for the first time in company history that same year. The company, established in 2012, now has over 50 employees and continues to add more. By all measures, Pontree looks very different from the fledgling company that made 200 million won (around 156,000 dollars) in its first year just 10 years ago.  

Founder and CEO Chul-joo Kim attributes the growth of his company—and the protective film industry at large—to Coupang’s Rocket Delivery. “It’s no exaggeration to say that Coupang led the growth of the protective film industry,” he said. This is due to the growing demand for protective film and the need of customers to receive such products quickly and reliably. 

 “These days, when consumers buy an electronic device, they attach a protective film first. This is to prevent scratches in order to ‘protect’ the resale price, so protective film should be available quickly when needed, in the same manner as fresh food like milk or vegetables,” said Chul-joo. “Coupang Rocket Delivery, where customers can order items early in the morning and have it delivered on the same day, is the only sales channel in Korea that can properly target the consumption patterns of protective film buyers.” 

In a way, Pontree’s protective film business and the online Rocket Delivery model are a perfect fit. The company sells over 38,000 types of protective films, designed to protect everything from phones and tablets to automobiles, watches, and lighters. Pontree even allows customers to order customized protective films, such as for products bought overseas that are not commercially available in Korea. With Coupang, customers can find the precise film they need, and the company can respond to consumer demand far more precisely than through offline distribution methods. 

The benefits of the harmonious partnership can be seen in the sales of Pontree after joining Coupang in 2017, which has shown remarkable growth every year since then. Even in Q3 2021, for example, the company recorded growth of 141% year over year, an even more notable feat when considering that online sales rose rapidly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 

Today, Pontree very comfortably holds the No. 1 position in the domestic protective film industry, and has expanded internationally to over 40 countries. Chul-joo is confident about the quality and global competitiveness of his protective films, which are continuously being improved upon by a talented R&D team comprising 10% of the company. He has big aspirations—“I want to make Healing Shield the protective film used by people all over the world,” he said.