Refining
SK Energy and S-Oil operate refineries in Ulsan; S-Oil's Onsan refinery had about 650,000 barrels per day in 2016.
Ulsan · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Ulsan
Ulsan is a south-east coastal industrial city of about 1.1 million people, with refineries, a petrochemical complex and the world's largest shipyard. Process plants, tank farms and shipyard work create extensive Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas. An Ex-proof mobile phone distributor in Ulsan would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicEx-proof
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereUlsan
Short answer. Ulsan has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof mobile phone for Ulsan
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ex marking | Group, category, protection concept, gas group, temperature class | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 (target) |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC matched to the area drawing | IIC (target) |
| Temperature class | T-class below the ignition temperature of the gas | T4, 135 °C (target) |
| Where it applies | Ulsan: Tank farms, Shipyard tank and cargo-space work, Refinery process units | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Ulsan
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Ulsan. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The site · Ulsan
Ulsan: where the IS-04Z1 would work
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
Operators and companies on site
- SK Energy
- S-Oil
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Classified areas to expect
- Refinery process units
- Petrochemical plants
- Tank farms
- Shipyard tank and cargo-space work
Local conditions · Ulsan
Conditions in Ulsan that affect handheld equipment
Expansion
S-Oil's Shaheen petrochemical project was planned for completion by 2026, bringing commissioning crews.
Field notes · Ulsan
More about Ulsan that matters for portable equipment
Ulsan: who works there
Ulsan is the corporate base of the Hyundai group, and SK Energy and S-Oil also operate there, so supplier registration usually runs through each company's own vendor process.
Ulsan: climate and equipment wear
Ulsan has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, with monthly means from 2.0 degrees Celsius in January to 25.9 degrees in August and high rainfall from April to September.
Ulsan: infrastructure
The Ulsan Green Hydrogen Town project had laid 188 km of underground pipelines by October 2024 to carry hydrogen, a by-product of petrochemical complexes, to the city centre.
Ulsan: background
Ulsan was designated a Special Industrial Zone in 1962 under South Korea's first five-year plan, and Hyundai Heavy Industries founded its shipyard there in 1973, turning it into a company town.
The term · Ex-proof
What “Ex-proof” means for a smartphone
“Ex-proof” is shorthand for equipment carrying an explosion-protection marking (the Ex mark) that matches the area it enters. The marking states the protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, and it must be backed by a certificate issued by a recognised body, so a phone described as Ex-proof should come with a certificate number you can check.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to carry the marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. That is a target: certification is in progress, no certificate has been issued, and SAMS will publish the certificate numbers when they exist.
In Ulsan. Extensive Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas arise at process plants, tank farms and in shipyard tank and cargo spaces. Refinery fuels are commonly Group IIA or IIB, while petrochemical streams can need IIC. The IS-04Z1 target marking is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, not yet issued, and operators decide.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Ulsan
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Ulsan. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Ulsan.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Ulsan
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof mobile phone in Ulsan today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an Ex-proof mobile phone in Ulsan cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
What Ex marking will the IS-04Z1 carry?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. It becomes a marking only when the certificate is issued; until then it is a design target.
Which areas at Ulsan would use it?
Likely candidates are refinery process units, petrochemical plants, tank farms, shipyard tank and cargo-space work. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Ulsan?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Ulsan.
Which hazardous-area industries are concentrated in Ulsan?
Two very large refineries, petrochemical complexes, a major shipyard, an automobile plant and a growing hydrogen network. Gas, vapour and hydrogen areas are the typical concerns, and each operator classifies its own plant, so request zone drawings before using handheld devices.
Can shipyard work in Ulsan involve classified areas as well as refinery work?
Yes. Fuel and cargo tanks, paint stores, coating bays and hot-work areas can all be treated as hazardous locations. Shipyards usually issue gas-free and hot-work permits, so ask how portable devices are controlled under those permits.
Do shipyard and refinery requirements differ in Ulsan?
They can. Shipyards work in vessel tank and cargo spaces under permits for each vessel, while refineries classify fixed process areas, so approvals and markings may differ. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet. Ask each facility for its own device rules.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Ulsan, and on other places in South Korea.
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in UlsanSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in UlsanSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in UlsanSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in UlsanSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in UlsanSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in UlsanSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in PohangElsewhere in South Korea
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in IncheonElsewhere in South Korea
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in DaesanElsewhere in South Korea
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in YeosuElsewhere in South Korea
South Korea market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for South KoreaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Ulsan
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Ulsan, South Korea
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Ulsan
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Ulsan?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.