A total of 120 Beyonders came together to volunteer in the vicinity of PT.KRAKATAU-POSCO. The Beyonders worked not only on improving the school environment but also on building meaningful connections by teaching local students and participating in cultural exchange activities.

POSCO Newsroom was presented with two special diaries written in Cilegon. Two 13th Beyonders, Eun-Soo Lee (UNIST) and Chae-won Heo (Kwangwoon University) recorded events of the day, sharing the story of their volunteer work — and the true value they encountered.

(DAY1) [Safety First, “Hati-Hati!”]

Chae-Won: On arriving, we met the Beyond members of Indonesia. Interpreters from Beyond Indonesia were assigned to each group, and we participated in several programs together to break the ice and become close. As I got to know the Beyond Indonesia members, I was really surprised! Some members knew K-Pop better than me, and some spoke fluent Korean.

Chae-Won: We had to come up with a team slogan, and our team decided to emphasize on ‘safety.’ ‘Hati’ in Indonesian means ‘Be careful!’ We added a ‘heart’ here and completed our slogan, “HATI-HATI, HEART!”

Eun-Soo: The biggest difference between Indonesia and Korea would be the scene at sunset. It’s the same sky, but the scenery here, with all the palm trees and the pink hue, seemed surreal. Then it hit me that I was indeed in a foreign land.

(DAY2) [A Long And Hard Day…]

Eun-Soo: Wow. It was a really hard day. Carrying bricks all day long and painting with a rod that is bigger than me wasn’t easy. My whole body is aching — from my shoulders to my legs. Will I be able to make it tomorrow? Adding to the hard work, the wet weather reaching up to 29 ℃ made it harder. I had to take a rest in the afternoon because of the suffocating heat. I was sorry to my team members since it felt like my fault that I was in such a bad condition.

Chae-Won: At first, the work seemed difficult because of the environment, so I tried to avoid working hard. But as I was working, I found out that it wasn’t that difficult or hard. The moment I realized this, I was ashamed of myself. We were all in this together. If I didn’t do it, someone else had to do it eventually. But I seemed to forget that. I was disappointed at myself. Then, I looked around. All the other members and staff were voluntarily doing hard work. As I saw the Beyonders who were working, — without showing any signs of distress or exhaustion — I reflected on myself.

Chae-Won: One of the things that surprised me was that nobody complained or showed how hard the work was. Even though it was a more difficult task than when in Korea, everyone just focused and did their jobs. Watching them, I could feel that we have indeed grown up in the last few months.

(DAY3) [A True Sign of Respect And Love]

Eun-Soo: During the building project, I could meet the local school students. All of them looked so sweet and innocent. And looking at them, I promised myself that I would make a better environment for them. I know that my help is not going to bring a dramatic change, but I’m sure that this little help can come together and make a difference. Through a better environment and education, I hope these children can live happily and cheerfully in the future as well.

Chae-Won: After the activities, we played Korean traditional games with the local students. I was able to show off the skills that I had mastered in elementary school, but the students were so good at it that I was a bit embarrassed. When I had to go, the students put their foreheads and lips on the back of my hands. I didn’t know what it meant, but it felt like a nice gesture. Later, I came to know that this is an act of showing respect to someone older. All the affection and respect the students showed me, made today a meaningful day. I’ll never forget it.

(DAY4) [Have You Ever Seen Snow?]

Chae-Won: At last the education project! I had been preparing this for a long time, and now I can finally use the training aids I made! >0< I was so excited. When I was getting ready for the class, I was worried whether the local students would enjoy the class and whether we could communicate well. But no need to worry! The Beyond Indonesia team member helped with the interpretation and also taught me Indonesian repeatedly. But there were times when this wasn’t enough, and that’s where body language stepped in. It really worked well!

Eun-Soo: The education project★ was one of the most important projects in the Beyond schedule. Our team explained about nutrients, and with fruits as example, we helped the students understand the nutrients contained in fruits. The member in charge of the project led us all well so, all nine of us could fully understand the content and focus on teaching. I was worried that the high-school students might not like the ‘glass deco’ that we used, since they haven’t used it before. But they found it interesting and focused on the activity really well.

Chae-Won: I had a chat with the students during the break, and the most memorable question was regarding seasons. The students showed great interest in the ‘winter’ and ‘snow’ of Korea. I have never thought about, ‘How many seasons does Korea have?’ or ‘What season is it?’ So it was new for me to get these kinds of questions.

(DAY4) [They Love Korea So Much!]

Chae-Won: When the education class was over, I had a celebrity moment. The children made heart shapes with their hands, standing in a line and waiting to take a picture with me. I was a STAR. I didn’t know that Indonesian students would like Korea so much. Even though they saw me for the first time today, they gave me lots of love and attention, and had so many questions about me and my country. I was really thankful for all that. It was a new experience today. By interacting with these children, I could get rid of the prejudice I had. I will always remember today.

(DAY5) [Everyone’s a Little Edgy Today..TT]

Eun-Soo: The practice for the cultural performance did not go well. It was the first time something like this happened. Our team was normally full of energy and positive vibes, but not today. Everyone was a little edgy, spoke as if finding fault in each other, and acted hastily. I was a little scared that our teamwork and relationship might fall apart. But as the Korean saying, I think ‘the ground will harden after the rain.’ It was a hard day for everyone today, and I believe tomorrow will be better. I will try to compliment my teammates first, support them more, and do better!

Chae-Won: If it’s a hard job for me, it’s a hard job for everyone. If I’m on the edge, someone else might be too. I should think of this over and over again.

(DAY6) [My Special 21st Birthday As a Beyonder]

Eun-Soo: I was practicing for the cultural performance as usual. Suddenly, my teammates appeared with a choco-pie cake and started singing the birthday song for me. I couldn’t help but burst into tears because I could feel the love and affection of my teammates. My 20th birthday in Indonesia — It’s a day I will cherish my whole life It was an honor to share this special day with my teammates.

(DAY7) [The Day The Beyonders Shined On Stage!]

Eun-Soo: The long-awaited day to stage our cultural performance finally arrived! The past 6-7 months of practice flashed through my mind. At first, I didn’t even know how to hold the fan properly, and sometimes it was hard and exhausting, but in the end, we made it! We put up a splendid performance! The practicing part was really hard, but it was fun as well. I could feel that the audience also connected to our feelings! >_<

Chae-Won: I was nervous during rehearsal, but when I stood on the stage, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought — So I made a huge mistake at the end. But the performance ended well. After the perfect ending pose, our team stepped down the stage and faced each other. We told each other what a wonderful performance we put on stage today, and then I realized that the seven months of practice were indeed over. I had a mix of emotions.

Eun-Soo: The 13th Beyonders were awesome. They could dance and sing like real talented singers! But the most amazing feature would be our teamwork It is sad to think that our activity is coming to an end. We’ve just started to get to know each other. But as they say! You should know when to bow out ㅠ_ㅠ I should try my best not to cry when I say goodbye to my Indonesian friends tomorrow!

The 120 youths who had no idea of each other, truly bonded through Beyond. They shared special moments, wept and laughed together. Now, these Beyonders have returned as “global good citizens,” learning to care for each other in hot weather and hard times. This February, the adventure of the 13th Beyond will come to an end with a final presentation — showing their activities of the past eight months. We truly applaud these youngsters who have devoted two seasons of their 20’s to volunteering. We also look forward to the 14th and 15th Beyond that are to be born.

India

India’s government is incentivizing the use of steel by providing construction grants for regions that need revitalization. This government money is fueling growth and increasing steel consumption in regions across the country. Some predict that India will increase its rank and surpass China as the top consumer of steel in 2018. This is because India has not yet achieved the level of development China has. In China, the economy is shifting. For years, much of China’s economy was made up of companies in the manufacturing industry, but with a growing upper and middle class, many of China’s industries are going from factories to office spaces. Services are expected to increase in China and lead to a decrease in the need for supplies like steel.

Indian steel consumption is rising thanks to new development projects. (Source: Quora)

SEE ALSO: India: A Rising Sun in the Global Renewable Energy Industry

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

Vietnam and the Philippines have been named two countries to watch in the ASEAN region. Unlike China and Japan, which have relatively more established economies, Vietnam and the Philippines are still in the development phase. Their rapid development is due in part to the growth of e-commerce. As the Vietnamese and Filipino governments race to build stronger countries, they’ll need steel to make improvements in the country’s infrastructure. Many of the cities in the region are outdated and in need of a total remodel. From creating a solid infrastructure to building offices and housing, steel will be in high demand in Vietnam and the Philippines in 2018.

Many ASEAN cities like Ho Chi Minh City pictured above is ripe for growth and development. (Source: Visa2Vietnam)

CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States)

CIS, also known as the Russian Commonwealth, is a confederation of 11 states made up of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. While Russia is the biggest and most powerful member state, the developing states are eager to catch up. CIS countries will undergo development projects including major infrastructure construction. Such state-level projects will require large amounts of steel and CIS countries will have to vamp up its own production as well as meet its needs through imports. As CIS countries develop, their citizens quality of life will likely increase, and they are expected to consume more goods such as cars and appliances made of steel as well.  

CIS member states are ripe for development and steel consumption in 2018. (Source: The Kremlin)

Japan

In the summer of 2020, Japan is set to host the biggest global summer games event. The government is investing significantly in this effort to build new sports facilities and other structures to accommodate the global event. A new stadium itself is said to have a budget of over USD 2 billion, and most of the construction will require steel. Japan already has some of the best infrastructure in the world. But it will need to adapt in order to accommodate the large number of visitors Tokyo will host over the three-week event.

Japan will need to build many sports venues such as its new stadium pictured above for 2020. (Source: CNN)

The United States

In the United States, the steel market is consumer-driven, and steel is a USD 113 billion industry. The U.S. is already the largest importer of steel by a wide margin. But the U.S. demand for steel is expected to increase. Steel is used for construction, infrastructure, energy, production, packaging, appliances and manufacturing. Many cities in the U.S. are expanding and improving their infrastructure. Cities like New York and San Francisco have aging buildings and transportation systems that need to be revitalized. Steel construction is also a way of creating more energy efficiency. As U.S. cities move to become more conservative with their natural resources, steel is one of the ways to reduce energy use. Things like steel reinforcements, steel roofs and other upgrades make buildings more efficient. Many household appliances and automobiles are also made of steel. As U.S. consumers purchase household appliances, cars and buildings, the U.S. demand for steel will continue to grow in 2018.

While 2018 will not likely see 2017 rates of growth, the steel industry will continue to grow as demand for steel-based goods increases. As developing countries become more dependent on modernized infrastructure, housing and conveniences, the steel industry will continue to show growth for the foreseeable future. Even in China, where manufacturing is beginning to slow down, there is a great demand for steel. In developing smart cities, for example, steel and technology work together to create more efficient cities for all citizens. Steel infrastructure will play a major role in the improvement of cities across the globe for years to come.

The U.S. is the birthplace of many iconic figures, movies, and buildings. The Statue of Liberty is one such work of art which stands as a symbol of freedom and independence. The Empire State building is another architectural icon in the center of New York, a city which in and of itself represents the U.S. Although these monuments appear majestic on the exterior, it is their interior composition that has kept them standing tall all these years. These and other international iconic structures embody the limitless ways steel builds culture around the globe.

The Statue of Liberty

A Gift from the French

An early sketch of the Statue of Liberty (Image courtesy of Copper Development Association Inc.)

More than a hundred years ago, the French sent a giant gift to celebrate America’s independence and to honor their friendship. The Statue of Liberty was first assembled in France, taken apart, shipped to the U.S. and then erected once more. It still stands tall, but even stronger today thanks to some important improvements made along the way.

As the Leaning Tower of Pisa is to Italy and the Eiffel Tower is to France, the Statue of Liberty embodies and represents America’s values of freedom and independence. Although Lady Liberty looks as smooth and stunning as her first debut, her journey was nothing short of rocky.

The statue was assembled in the U.S. in 1886. The iron and copper figure stood the test of time for almost 100 years. However, from 1982 to 1986, the statue underwent major reparations to so that Lady Liberty could make it to her centennial anniversary in 1986. It was a costly effort, and interestingly, marked one of the earliest joint efforts between the private and public sectors to fund a public project.  

What was wrong with Lady Liberty?

In short, the Statue of Liberty can be broken down into three main parts: the copper exterior (a sheet of copper that covers the entire statue), the internal skeleton or pylon made of puddled iron, and the Armature (a frame that connects the copper exterior to the internal skeleton).

The armature is made up of iron bars, 1300 of them, weighing 20 pounds each. Due to concerns about corrosion, layers of protective materials were applied to the bars, such as coal tar, aluminum, and lead. The coating itself weathered over the years and began to trap moisture. Thus, the iron started to rust.

Engineers decided to replace the entire armature, but with what?

Four prospective materials underwent extensive testing:

1. Aluminum bronze
2. Cupro-nickel
3. Ferralium
4. Stainless steel

The obvious choice was stainless steel as it would not rust, but also gift builders with its elasticity, light-weight, strength, and ductility.

Ten years after the repairs, in 1996, inspectors deemed the armature corrosion-resistant and it has remained so ever since. It would have been wiser and less costly to start with steel in the first place, as the engineers of the Empire State Building did, but it seems even steel could use… even more steel.

A Steel on Steel Testament

The Empire State Building Stands tall in the middle of New York City

In the Big Apple, The 86-year-old Empire State Building also recently underwent enhancements. Engineers added 39 tons of steel plates onto the building’s existing steel mast (the pointy part at the top, also known as the tower) to improve its carrying capacity.  

The planning for this project alone took over two years. Steelworkers, engineers, and builders had to take into account the bustling city below. High winds were another factor to consider. In the end, engineers came up with a cocoon-like encasing to be placed around the tower at the top of the building during construction to keep falling pieces in and strong winds out.  

Once set inside the cocoon, workers began wielding 39 tons worth of steel bars and plates onto the tower. The process was tedious as steel parts could only be transported into the cocoon in small pieces.  

In the end, the sturdier mast with a greater carrying capacity was worth the struggle.

The Empire State Building was built in 1931 and was the tallest building in the world at the time. Due to its unique design, the American Society of Civil Engineers named it one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It is also a significant part of American culture, as the Empire State Building has been featured in more than 90 movies, including “King Kong” in 1933.  

Every year, the Empire State Building generates more than $100 million in revenue. About 20% of the revenue comes from the antennas attached to the 200-ft-tall steel broadcast tower. The remaining 80% is generated by the flocks of tourists that visit from all over the world, confirming the Empire State Building as an international landmark.  

However, it is not the only building receiving international attention and recognition.

The Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi

The Capital Gate Building in Abu Dhabi, UAE leans westward in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre complex (Image courtesy of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center)

Abu Dhabi is another country where steel lays the foundation for iconic buildings. The Capital Gate Building may not have a long history, but it is an architectural wonder. It is often compared to Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it has four times leaner The Capital Gate leans to the west a whopping 18 degrees.

How is this possible?

Engineers used a technique called pre-cambered core. Basically, they offset the core to counter the gravitational force created by the leaning mass of the building. The core or base of the building is a 7-foot mass of steel mesh and concrete locked down to almost 500 piles, which are drilled 100 feet into the ground. The external skeleton called a diagrid is also made of steel. These features, as well as some extensive math equations, allow the building to stand tall, at an angle.

The landmark leans in the center of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre complex and the Capital Centre master development. It captured international attention when The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed the Capital Gate Building as the “World’s furthest leaning man-made tower” in 2010.  

The list of iconic steel structures is endless…

Although the ones we discussed are just three iconic structures, it’s easy to see why steel makes up so many other buildings, statues, and memorials all over the world.  In the U.S. alone, iconic structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the Willis (Formerly Sears) Tower are all made of steel.

Steel is cheaper, more sustainable and more durable than other materials such as iron and wood.

In addition, emerging technology will only further enhance the compatibility of steel for architecture and construction. One promising area of innovation is 3D printing for buildings.

The Mesh Mould 3D Printer developing a steel frame (Image courtesy of Gramazio Kohler Research)

Printing Steel in 3D

The typical concrete construction process consists of:

1. Setting up a steel/metal frame (rods) for the building
2. Pouring concrete over the rods
3. Formwork- using a wooden “shell” to hold the concrete in place as it dries

The problem with this process is the formwork. Because custom-made formwork is extremely expensive and non-reusable, builders opt for standardized, block-shaped formwork. This limits design creativity on top of the economic and environmental inconvenience.

Mesh Mould is a digital 3D printer in the works by researchers at the ETH Zürich research institute. The printer would produce steel frameworks that are both fine and dense, so that poured concrete would not seep out before it solidifies. The developers of Mesh Mould also created a special concrete mix to accompany the steel frames. Mesh Mould would eliminate formwork completely. Not only will this make the whole construction process more sustainable, it will lower material expenses and also save time. Others have taken notice as well. Mesh Mould received the 2016 Swiss Technology Award.

Statues, building, and monuments can be made of numerous different materials. However, when exploring iconic buildings and monuments that have stood the test of time and breached scientific barriers, steel proves to be the perfect fit.

What is the Circular Economy?

The circular economy concept gained momentum in the 1970s as academics, businesses, and thought leaders realized that there needed to be a change in the way products were manufactured and disposed of. The general goals of a circular economy involved eliminating waste, using renewable energy to manufacture goods, and to be more respectful of the natural environment.

In a circular economy, resources need to be allocated efficiently while making products that earn a return for the businesses without being too costly to consumers. Products should be durable, recyclable, and easily repaired. Simply put, manufacturers and consumers need to extend the life of their products before they are thrown away.

A well functioning circular economy ensures that products retain value even at the end of their use stage. Ideally, products would be-be 100% recyclable, and even before reaching that stage, they should be durable enough for reuse or remanufacturing. Steel represents a critical piece of this concept as it can be reused, repurposed, and remanufactured after use and then still remains infinitely recyclable. Beyond that, advances in steel production technology have created more energy efficient and green processes for steelmakers.

Steel in the Circular Economy

Steel is used to manufacture and ship almost every product on the globe. Its ubiquity makes it a central piece of the concept of a circular economy and more sustainable production. It can be reused, remanufactured, and recycled without losing any of its properties. Also, due to technological advancements in recent decades, steel has become both lighter and stronger making everything from cars to ships more energy efficient.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Steel is 100% recyclable without losing any of its original properties or strength.” quote=”Steel is 100% recyclable without losing any of its original properties or strength.” theme=”style6″]

In addition to lightweighting, one must look at steel’s life cycle assessment in order to measure its effect on the circular economy, Last month on The Steel Wire, Dr. Roland Geyer from the University of California at Santa Barbara took an in-depth look at the life cycle assessment of steel. His research aims to show that steel’s benefit to the automotive industry lies not only in its lightweight properties but also in its ability to be recycled and used over and over again – making it the most optimal material for automakers in a circular economy.

POSCO Innovates in Sustainable Steel Production

For its part in the circular economy, POSCO has been pursuing advancements in sustainable steel production from multiple angles. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, POSCO helped develop the FINEX® process. It is based on the direct use of iron ore fines and non-coking coal while eliminating the coke-making and sintering processes, which are most critical to the conventional blast furnace process. Combining these two decisive advantages led to lower production costs and a reduction of environmental emissions in comparison with the conventional blast furnace route.

For automakers, the steel used to manufacture vehicles is critical to the circular economy in both its production and use. POSCO has been at work developing new automotive steel solutions that are lighter, stronger, and more affordable. They have also begun utilizing advanced AI and IIoT (internet of things) solutions in its automotive steel plants to reduce waste.

Because POSCO GIGA STEEL is lightweight, strong, and affordable, it is the ideal material option for automakers looking to build more sustainable vehicles.

For its manganese steel production, POSCO developed new technology that cut production time in half while increasing efficiency by 10%. Now, instead of melting the iron, lowering the temperature, and then melting it again, POSCO can store the molten iron at its new PosLM facility helping to reduce energy costs and shorten production time.

In order to move toward a circular economy, businesses and industries must make fundamental changes to how their products are manufactured and used. Steel remains a critical piece of this concept as it can be reused, remanufactured, and recycled. However, more needs to be done, and companies like POSCO are taking the lead to develop more sustainable production processes.

*Graphs courtesy of the World Steel Association

Each year for a decade, 100 students from universities around Korea have joined Beyond, looking to make a difference in people’s lives. The Beyond home-building program is called “Steel House.” This summer, following their inauguration ceremony at POSCO Center, the volunteers travelled around Korea to build the innovative steel homes. Dividing into teams of 20 people each, they traveled to Yangpyeong, Pohang, Incheon, Yecheon and Gwangyang, building homes for people in need all over Korea.

Previous home-building typically was done with bricks and mortar as well as wood. But these Beyond-built homes use steel throughout the construction, from foundations to finish.

Steel Creates Stronger, Safer Homes

Steel frames allow homes to be more spacious, as less floor space is taken up by the walls, while the frame allows for better heat and sound insulation. Plus, because these steel homes can be built so much faster than regular homes, it minimizes the resources and pollution needed for construction.

Each house uses the POSCO World Premium product PosMAC, specially adapted for construction to improve its durability. For the exterior, multicolor steel technology from POSCO C&C was combined with ribbed profile extruded panels to produce strong, beautiful homes.

Once each house was finished, the volunteers held a completion ceremony, celebrating their hard work, offering energetic performances and plenty of fun.

“The steel house activity means a lot to me because I can learn the value of working hard together,” said Beyond volunteer Eunji Hwang. “Having a cold glass of water after a long day’s work really felt good.”

The Beyond volunteers intend to take their good works beyond the borders of Korea, too. They’re going to be gathering in Vietnam in January to continue helping others, this time at Vietnam POSCO Village.

Building Bridges Over Troubled Waters

With significant facilities in Vietnam, POSCO has long been active there in lending a helping hand. For example, with the heavy rains Vietnam experiences for six months of the year, people there often have to deal with flooding.

So POSCO Beyond volunteers, together with volunteers from the local POSCO affiliates like POSCO SS VINA and POSCO E&C and local suppliers, came together earlier this year to build a steel bridge for one community.

Large steel bridges, equipped with steel handrails to hold on to, can span longer distances than existing concrete and wooden bridges and are more stable even in the worst flooding conditions. Thanks to POSCO’s bridge, now local children can get to school safely no matter the weather, and villagers can travel safely, too.

To see why steel bridges can be so important to these Vietnamese villages and how they make a difference in so many lives, check out this video:

At POSCO, our offices all over the world remain focused on improving the communities around them. Whether building homes or bridges, these are just a few more examples of the power steel has to better people lives, offering a more secure and happier future.

In comes the triangle. Remember the triangle? You may have first encountered the simple instrument in grade school, as a tinkering tool to play with for band practice. It is often disregarded as a legitimate instrument and forgotten about, but the percussive idiophone should not be taken for granted.

Basic Formation

Unassuming in composition (it is literally an outline of a triangle), it is one of the only percussion instruments that is made entirely out of metal. It is usually shaped from a steel bar into an equilateral or isosceles triangle, with an opening at one of its corners.

Historically, the triangle was created from both solid iron and steel rod, but is now primarily made from steel. It comes with a playing apparatus, usually a steel beater, and hangs suspended from a fishing line. The thin suspension line lets the instrument vibrate freely and create its signature noise.

The simple triangle’s sound is affected by the sizes and materials it comes in; the preferred orchestra size is between six to nine inches in diameter and played with a steel or wooden beater, which dictate a distinct note. The instrument’s tones range diversely from a shimmering trill to a more substantial, all-encompassing ring, all depending on what the conductor wants.

From Rituals to Symphonies

Ancient Egyptians used the sistrum during dances and religious ceremonies. Today, it is considered to be the percussive precursor to the triangle.

The triangle was first introduced into the world in the 16th century, but it is actually a descendent of the ancient Egyptian percussion instrument called the sistrum, which was used for worship and other religious purposes. Percussion instruments were originally meant for three main purposes: religious ceremonies, military signals, and dance.

The triangle we know of today made its initial appearance as a part of Medieval religious ceremonies, showing up in paintings of Bacchic processions alongside pipes and cymbals. Yet unlike its modern rendition, the triangle of the Middle Ages had rings. (The rings disappeared in the nineteenth century.)

Now, the triangle is a permanent member of the modern orchestra, originally used as a way for composers to add a bit of a sparkle to their music. Out of all the musicians, the triangle player has the most unnerving role within a composition. They cannot risk trial entry during a performance since the tone can linger, so they must be very careful to make sure they play the right note at exactly the right time.

Concerto in Steel

For a post for the Utah Symphony, professional triangle player Eric Hopkins noted the difficulty and nuance in mastering triangle performance. Most think it just requires hitting a steel triangle with a baton, but it actually takes more effort and skill than this obvious method.

It eventually evolved and transitioned into compositions by Mozart and Beethoven, and nowadays, we see it as a permanent member of complete orchestras around the world. Franz Liszt was the first to make a solo symphony featuring the triangle, as heard discreetly down below in “Piano Concerto No. 1”.

Beyond the Classics

The triangle can appear to have a difficult time fitting in next to main attraction instruments such as the violin or the piano. However, the three-pointed musical underdog has traveled far from western classical music, now taking part in the folk and pop genres with its unifying sound. Both John Deacon of Queen and Joni Mitchell have featured its characteristic clang in their tunes.

In folk music, forró and rock music, the triangle is played by hooking it over the hand so that one side can be muted by the fingers to vary the tone. It is popularly used in Cajun music, where it is used as a strong beat, especially if no drums are part of the performance.

Light in Weight, Unavoidable in Sound

Without knowledge of its sensitive nature, it can be hard to take the fine triangle seriously. But by understanding that through appropriate manipulation of the instrument’s timbre and articulation, its musical elements can be conveyed with more complexity. Being especially particular to the way the triangle is handled is the key to playing it successfully.

Its steel frame gives it this unique chime, and while it does not play the most notes within a symphony, it has its virtues, particularly for its overarching tonal blending capabilities.

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POSCO’s university student volunteer group Beyond has launched its 10th class. On July 7, POSCO held the launching ceremony for the 10th Beyond class at POSCO Center, committing itself to spreading the culture of sharing.

Beyond is Korea’s first corporate-supported university student volunteer group that carries out activities abroad. Established in 2007, it has been cultivating talented young people who can lead the way in spreading the culture of sharing and serving our neighbors. Each year 100 students are selected, and Beyond members have carried out overseas volunteering activities and cultural events in such countries as India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.

At the launching ceremony, POSCO CEO Ohjoon Kwon, who serves as the head of Beyond, presented the students with certificates of appointment. While meeting with the students, CEO Kwon also talked about the meaning of volunteering and sharing, and offered advice to the students about how to lead good lives.

For their first official activity, the 10th Beyond class will participate in building steel houses for the families around Korea who have been affected by recent fires, for a period of nine days starting from July 20. Beyond in the past used to participated in building primarily wooden homes, but from this year, they will take part in the entire construction process, building steel houses using POSCO’s highest quality steel materials. The construction of a steel house is comparatively easy because the main materials can be manufactured in the plant before they are assembled at the site.

In addition to house building activities at home and abroad, the 10th Beyond class will also spend the next 12 months providing help to abandoned pets, elderly people who live alone, single mothers, children from multicultural families and disabled persons. In January 2017, the group will help build steel houses in Vietnam POSCO Village, which is being established by POSCO for low-income families in Vung Tau Province, Vietnam, and organize cultural exchange activities between Korea and Vietnam.

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The use of lithium is soaring. It’s gone from 70,000 tons in 2002 to 170,000 tons in 2014, and some estimate that could grow to 470,000 tons by 2025. And with that surging demand, POSCO has identified lithium as a major product for the company’s future business growth.

“POSCO is accelerating the lithium material industry after lithium was selected as the new growth business that will lead the future of the company,” said CEO Ohjoon Kwon when he became the head of POSCO in 2014. “If steel is the ‘rice’ of the current industry, lithium will take on that role in the future.”

What Is Lithium?

For such a common element, most people don’t know a lot about lithium. The soft, silver-white metal is the third element on the periodic table, making it the lightest metal and least-dense solid element. It is found commonly around the Earth, but because it is highly reactive, it is rarely found in a pure, elemental form, and instead is present in very low concentrations in sea water, in rock in the Earth’s crust (especially granite), and in brines and salt lakes.

Importantly, lithium is also very energy-dense—in fact, it has twice the energy density of the next closest alternative—making it a great option for portable energy storage applications.

Lithium, however, is quite difficult to extract. In the past, it was gathered on large salt farms, and required months for the water to evaporate, leaving lithium salts behind. But in 2010, POSCO (with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) developed a high-efficiency technique for extracting lithium from water. Instead of a large and slow evaporation process, POSCO uses a chemical reaction to extract the lithium more quickly. It also increased its extraction capabilities to 200 tons per year.

Now POSCO is expanding its lithium processing even more, opening a cutting-edge lithium processing plant at Pozuelos Salt Lake in Argentina this year. Built high in the Argentine mountains, some 4,000 meters above sea level, the new plant had a groundbreaking ceremony on February 14, and once operational later this year it will boost POSCO’s annual lithium production to 2,500 tons.

Lithium in IT Gadgets

Lithium is a key element in lithium-ion batteries, which power many of our most popular devices, including mobile phones and laptops. Lithium-ion batteries can generate a 3 volt charge in each cell, much more than lead-acid and zinc-carbon cells, meaning it can provide more power more efficiently.

For portable devices, like mobile phones, size and weight are at a premium, so being able to contain more power means being able to create smaller and more useful mobile gadgets. Lithium-ion batteries are also commonly used in portable power tools, like drills, saws and lawn trimmers.

In addition to the success of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, regular lithium batteries are also in high demand, often used in such devices as pacemakers, cameras and watches.

Lithium for a Green Future

Beyond gadgets, lithium-ion batteries are a big part of the future of green energy. Solar, wind and other renewable energy sources are important, but you still need an energy storage device to store that power between peaks and valleys.

In particular, they are at the heart of the latest developments in electric cars, like the very popular Tesla cars. And as an electric car usually requires around 40 kilograms of lithium for its lithium-ion battery, that adds up quickly. In fact, Goldman Sachs estimates that the amount of lithium needed for electric car batteries will go up 11-fold over the next nine years.

But the eco-friendly applications don’t stop with cars. Motorcycles, large-scale residential facilities and industrial facilities are all increasingly using lithium-ion batteries, too.

POSCO Leads the Way Toward a Lithium Future

“With the supply of electric cars and the development of smart grid technology, the market is expected to result in massive growth,” noted CEO Kwon. “In order to raise competitiveness of the domestic secondary cell industry, it is crucial to develop lithium resources along with localizing core material.”

Pozuelos Lake, where POSCO is building its new processing facility, covers 106 square kilometers, and has an estimated 1.5 million tons of lithium reserves. That’s enough for millions of large-scale lithium-ion cells, which is good news for the environment and our planet.

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POSCO – BEYOND PROJECT
Every beginning has an end, but every ending in life is the beginning of other new things. The nearly one week of building trip with other Korean Beyond volunteers has just passed like a dream with full of memories, leaving unforgettable impressions on me, a Vietnamese student.

My name is Pham Thi Tuyet Trinh. I am currently a senior student at University of Economics and Law, Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City. I have always been thankful and blessed to have opportunities taking part in the charity programs organized by POSCO Beyond Korea, POSCO Vietnam and Habitat for Humanity of Vietnam. This year marked the third time, and perhaps the last time I could join these meaningful activities. However, every Beyond generation brought new experience, and new feelings to me.

Team 6 and our home partner: Ms. Anh with her family
It was my happiness to participate in this meaningful trip on which we gave a hand to people who are in need. The building included so many steps, and it was the first time I have laid the bricks to build walls ever. It was both fun and tired working there. Although we could not finish all things by ourselves, we did do our best in every single step with the help of specialists. That was because we knew that, it was our sacred responsibilities of being the members of an international organization whose vision is “A world where everyone has a decent place to live”.

This journey also brought to me invaluable experience that I will never forget. It was great to meet and become friends with so many good Korean people. I could expand social networks, enhance knowledge, and worked with other ones who have the same objective and the same aim which is to help disadvantaged people, hoping that they will soon get a better house, live a better life. During one week, I and other ten Korean students did eat, play and work together as a small family. Although we almost come from different parts of the world, we are all under the team number 6, the smiley team. We shared happy moments, and even sad ones with others. Seeing Korean friends enjoying their time in Vietnam, I felt really happy. I did do my best to bring us closer, overcoming all the obstacles, cultural and language barriers.

Thanks to Heesung, a Korean friend who is good at English, I could make conversations with all the members. My Korean level was just basic, but I tried to use them as much as possible, hoping they could understand me without the need of translation from Heesung. I love the Korean language, and I realize from now on, I have to study a lot to improve my level. Besides, I also knew Korean people highly respect punctuality, seriousness, and especially nationalism. We were really surprised at their traditional performances during the cultural exchange, which made us love our cultural identities more.

Time did fly fast like a narrow. At the time we had to say goodbye, I had so many different feelings: a little bit happy because the trip had finally gone to the end successfully, but sad a lot because I did not know exactly when we could meet again. Ms. Anh told me that if we had chance visiting her family someday, they would welcome all of us warmly. Seeing her crying, we cried, too. Our team’s members always asked me whether I loved them and their beloved country, and when I would go to Korea. They clearly and repeatedly told me that when I came there, let contact them and they would lead me around to visit so many beautiful places, inviting me delicious food for sure. I tried to prevent myself from crying, but it was really, really hard. They did tear me out…Saying goodbye has always been the toughest moment ever.

Now I return to my daily life with full of work and assignments. However, it is hard, really hard to focus on doing thing, because I always think about my old time with these friendly volunteers. It takes time to continue a new journey, but we have to keep strong and be ready as soon as possible…

Studying abroad in Korea has always been my dream. I will do my best to make it come true, to meet my beloved friends again. I hope that in the future, such meaningful activities will be always developed so that more and more students can have a chance contributing positively to the community and the friendship between Vietnam and Korea will be nourished. If I get one more opportunity, I will take part in this project again, definitely.

Ho Chi Mi nh City, 8 February 2015

Pham Thi Tuyet Trinh [/box]

All about the ‘Vietnam POSCO Village’ 

The Vietnam POSCO Village project, aiming to provide 85 houses for underprivileged families located at Tan Hoa Commune, Tan Thanh District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, was sponsored by POSCO 1% Foundation. Total 18 months, the process of the project is divided into three phases. Initially, phase 1 (from September 2014 to March 2015) will provide 26 low-income households with safe and adequate housing with water and sanitation facilities. Phase 2 (from June 2015 to September 2015) will support another 19 households and phase 3 will be other 40 houses (from November 2015 to March 2016). The aims of Vietnam POSCO Village are to support the underprivileged people of the local community and to improve their living conditions for a better life. Also, the project aims that employees of POSCO’s local subsidiaries to train occupations and farming skills to help them build a happy village.

Bricks of Sweats, Tears and Love for the Village

The main activity of the POSCO Beyond volunteers at this phase is to complete 11 houses among 85 houses of the Vietnam POSCO Village project. Hence, the poor households have decent place as they welcome the upcoming happy Lunar New Year holiday of 2015. The volunteers start their day by preparing personal facilities for the construction work such as helmets, gloves, safety shoes, and protection glasses. It is for a better protection at the build because the climate condition is extremely hot during the daytime. “I get up early in the morning to have everything prepared, make sure that I can have ensured safety, power and willing for another hard day waiting for me”, said Chanyang-go, Beyond 8^th.

As the volunteers get off the buses at the construction site, they stand in 10 lines and move to the houses where the materials and tools are available. There are various construction activities done by the volunteers and supported by builders of Habitat Vietnam and workers of POSCO-Vietnam. The activities are divided by each task, so the building work is not so burdensome for the volunteers; some volunteers are mixing cements, some are bringing and lifting bricks and mortars. Some are leveling the ground and some are digging holes to make toilets. All of them have a hope in mind that the houses will be completed on time. “These works make me feel stronger and stronger day by day. You know there is nothing as hard as this for students to do at schools. Lots of sweats are poured while working but when I see the smiles on the home owners, every fatigues disappeas”, said Pham Thi Tuyet Trinh, Beyond Vietnam.

The work is usually finished around the time of sunset; the volunteers clean up surroundings of the site and arrange tools in order for the next day’s work.

New Relationships with Local People

What do the volunteers do during the weekend? The weekend days of Jan 31st and Feb 1st was waited by everybody. Especially, people waited long for the activities after a hard week of working at the build.

On Saturday morning, the volunteers visited the Secondary School of Truong Cong Dinh, Chau Pha Commune, Tan Thanh District, bringing the warm welcomes and exciting atmosphere to the school. “This is the first time I meet Koreans in real life. They are so beautiful and friendly. I love the fashion styles they are wearing today. I am so excited about this”, said student Nguyen Lan Anh, 6 grade.

There was a wide range of performances done by the volunteers and students of this school. The volunteers performed Korean traditional dances and catwalk, wearing the traditional dress called ‘Hanbuk’. They also taught martial arts for the students at the event. Moreover, boys and girls of the school performed Vietnamese traditional songs and dances, bringing colors to the stage. “It’s a really nice performance; I think they prepared it very well for this culture exchange. The students are small and young but they sing and dance beautifully”, said Ms. Park Yu Jung, Beyond 8^th.

Sunday’s cultural exchange between 100 POSCO Beyond Volunteers and 70 members of the Youth Union of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province took place at an outside stage of the Culture House of Youth, Vung Tau City.  The cultural exchange program included various activities such as writing calligraphy, drawing portraits, fashion shows of Hanbok of Korea and Ao dai (long dress) of Vietnam, music and dance performances, bonfire and more. The Youth Union of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province organized this cultural exchange in order to introduce traditional activities and cultural custom of Vietnam to the volunteers. Also, it was organized to create comprehensive relationships, understand the culture and people between the two nations. “Through the cultural exchange program today, I can understand more about Korean traditions and styles. We use English and body language to exchange information for more understandings and we also write emails for regular exchange relationships in the future”, said Ms. Nguyen Huong Thao, a youth member of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

Visiting the Centre for Social Protection of Children in Vung Tau City

On February 10th, teachers and children welcomed 10 POSCO family volunteers with enthusiastic faces to meet the sponsors, to play games and to receive gifts. It took some minutes for the volunteers to make acquaintance and introductions. After that, the volunteers brought gifts to the children. Some received teddy bears, sketch books, toothbrushes and some children were given daily necessaries for life. The volunteers also offered foods and oil to the center for better nutrition of the children. “Today, I received a beautiful teddy bear. I am very happy now for the gifts”, said Lan Huong, 6.

The Volunteers also cleaned doors and windows for better views of the center. Moreover, they hosted some intriguing games for the children like jumping ropes, drawing faces, playing soccer, and many other fun programs. “I wished to have a ball to play with friends for long, and to become a football player in the future. Today, I received a ball and learned how to play from a volunteer. I’ll practice every day. Thank you so much”, said Hoang Nam, 9.

The Centre for Social Protection of Children in Vung Tau City is taking care of about 130 handicapped and orphaned children. Babies born to impoverished mothers, sometimes illegitimately or in socially precarious situations, are seldom abandoned at the hospital or later at the center. Some of the babies received at the center suffer from a range of congenital or post-natal disabilities including hydrocephaly, blindness, deafness, or physical disabilities that will prevent or hinder their ability to stand and walk unaided. Moreover, for many families that are unable to support their children, it is common to put children to work instead of attending school. Although the visit of POSCO family volunteers was short, it brought bright joy to the children at the center.

Dedication Ceremony for the First Houses

In the morning of February 5th, POSCO-Vietnam, Habitat Vietnam and local authorities joined to organize a dedication ceremony of 11 houses. Held at the construction site, the ceremony was attended by local leaders, POSCO and Habitat’s representatives, 100 POSCO Beyond volunteers, 20 volunteers of Beyond Vietnam, 10 POSCO Family volunteers and the homeowners.

“It is indeed my great pleasure to make a few closing remarks for the POSCO Beyond Build 2015. One week ago, all we saw were only the foundation and four walls. Now, look at what we’ve done! 11 beautiful almost-finished houses and I’m proud to say that we made it!, said Ms. Kelly, General Manager of Habitat Vietnam.

“It’s very meaningful for us to be here to share love and tears when we join together for the volunteer activities to help the underprivileged people. I believe that it will become a solid foundation for a better close-knit relationship between Korea and Vietnam in the future”, said Mr. Yun Yang Su, General Director of POSCO Vietnam.

Unforgettable Moments about POSCO Beyond Volunteers

Interview Mr. Luu Van Bien, engineer of CAL Dept, POSCO-Vietnam

“I was excited when I heard that POSCO Beyond Volunteers are coming to do social activities in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. So I registered to join the volunteer activity as soon as possible. This is the first time I’ve participated in a volunteer activity. For me, volunteer activities to help the poor for a better living conditions make me feel happy because I can share the burden of them together.”

Interview Mr. Yong Hwan Moo, POSCO Beyond 8^th

“There were a lot of laughs when I came to the building site and working together with the students of POSCO Beyond. They worked very hard in a rapid pace. I think that they are more than just students. They are almost like professional builders. The students are friendly, vivacious and helpful; therefore, I made lots of friends here. The volunteer activities are meaningful moments that I will never forget about.”

Interview Mr. Huynh Minh Thuan, Beyond Vietnam

“This is the 3rd POSCO Beyond that I’ve ever joined. It’s so great to me. I know that the Vietnam POSCO Village project is sponsored by the POSCO 1% Foundation (operating with one percent deduction from the wage of POSCO’s employees). This is a magnanimously deep and compassionate action of POSCO that no companies can do it in the world. After the village is completed, the underprivileged people will have decent shelters which are the foundations for them to do their business to raise their children.”

If you are interested in more detailed thoughts and experiences of the volunteers, read the next post of a university student who participated at the project.