Training covers production, maintenance, and quality control, ensuring readiness for commissioning and mass production.

Plant Manager Eric Bouchard: “We will produce world-class quality materials with advanced Korean technology.”

In preparation for the operation of its Canadian cathode material plant, POSCO Future M has initiated a training program in Korea for local key personnel, advancing its efforts in global technical workforce development.

From June 10, POSCO Future M conducted a month-long training program for 21 key employees of ‘Ultium CAM,’ a joint venture established with General Motors (GM) in May 2022 in Quebec, Canada. The training occurred at the POSCO Group University and the cathode material plant. These employees, who will play pivotal roles in the stable operation and high-quality production at the 30,000-ton capacity cathode material plant, are on-site supervisors with around ten years of manufacturing experience.

Over three weeks, these employees attended the Pohang cathode material plant, focusing intensively on production, maintenance, and quality control techniques. They acquired the necessary qualifications to become specialized personnel required for the plant’s commissioning and mass production. Additionally, a one-week introductory and general education course at the POSCO Group University helped them understand POSCO Group’s vision and organizational culture, the significance of safety, and their identity as part of the POSCO Group.

Supplementary programs, including tours of historical sites in Gyeongju, community activities near the plant, and cultural events like ‘Chimaek Day’ (an event involving chicken and beer), enhanced their understanding of Korean culture and fostered a closer emotional connection.

Eric Bouchard, the local plant manager, remarked upon completing the training, “Receiving high-level technical education in Korea, a leader in the battery industry, and experiencing Korean culture has deepened my understanding of my colleagues. I will utilize the knowledge gained from this training to produce the highest quality materials.”

Following commissioning, Ultium CAM will commence full-scale mass production next year. The cathode materials produced here will qualify for tax credits under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Ultium Cells, a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution, will use them in batteries.

▲Ultium CAM employees receive training in quality analysis on the 2nd. Cathode material samples are transported via an air-shooting system for rapid quality inspection.

▲An Ultium CAM employee tests product quality through specific surface area analysis on June 24th.

▲Ultium CAM employees discuss the calcination process for combining precursor and lithium on the 3rd.

▲Ultium CAM employees take a commemorative photo at the POSCO Group University on June 12th.

▲On the 4th, Ultium CAM employees and Song Dong-gi, Head of Pohang Cathode Material Division (sixth from left in the front row), take a commemorative photo after completing their training at the POSCO Future M Pohang cathode material plant.