But to fully enjoy those winter sports, you need to have the right equipment for the season. Playing on the ice requires skates, while sliding down the snow-covered slopes requires skis – or even a bobsled or luge, for the serious winter sports enthusiast.

All these sports require steel. So let’s take a look at the role steel plays in bringing our favorite winter sports to life.

Slashing Across the Ice with Steel Skates

Whether it’s for ice hockey, figure skating or just a leisurely recreational skate, a pair of skates and a big sheet of ice is one of the most popular ways of having fun during the winter.

Actually, the oldest known skates are around 5,000 years old, and were made from the leg bones of large animals. But around the 14th century, people in the Netherlands started using iron runners, which were attached to people’s shoes with leather straps. Back then, people used poles to push themselves over the ice, but with the invention of double-edged blades around the year 1500, people gained the ability to push and glide directly with their skates. Finally, in the 19th century, steel began to be used for skates, giving them the strength needed for modern winter sports.

For today’s skates, typically the blades use tempered carbon steel that has been heat treated, and then covered in chrome – although some also use aluminum or stainless steel, and others even use titanium. The more high-end blades use better grades of steel than less expensive types. Because an important part of skating well is the blade’s edge, stronger grades of steel help hold the sharpness of the edge longer, so can go longer between sharpening.

Skate blades are thin – for hockey, usually just over 3 millimeters, while goalie and figure skater skates can be a bit wider. Surprisingly, though, the blades are not just a flat piece of metal. In fact, skate blades have a concave groove or “hollow” in them, so each blade actually touches the ice in two spots. This gives each blade an inside and outside edge, making them faster and more powerful.

Skis and Other Downhill Devices

Recently, we looked at how steel has proven pivotal for downhill fun as it is the main material in ski lifts. But in addition to helping people get up those big, snow-covered hills, steel also helps them come down again.

That’s because the serious downhill sports go seriously fast, and that means major stress on the equipment (and on the rider). Skis and snowboards typically have a thin strip of steel around the edge to strengthen the board and help carve the snow and ice better while turning.

In bobsledding, teams used to have a lot more latitude for coming up with their own sleds, so they would experiment with different alloys for the blades. But since 2006, the bobsledding governing body announced a set of standards for the steel blades, so now everyone uses the same type of metal.

Luge and skeleton are two more high-speed sleds, but much smaller than the bobsled. Their frames are made of steel, and brakes are forbidden in the competitive models. Only on the luge do participants start sitting on the sled, whereas for the skeleton and bobsled they take a running start. For luge, they travel feet-first, while skeleton is head first. The luge also comes in one-person and two-person versions.

The sleds do vary a bit in their steel blades, though. Skeletons have tubular steel blades, which have a larger surface area and slow the sled a bit, whereas luge blades are sharped steel, for maximum speed. But for all these sports, steel blades form the connection between the rider and the ice, creating the foundation for their incredible speeds (lugers can reach 140 kilometers per hour).

Snow Machines

Sometimes to get through the deep snow – when you don’t have a big, steep slope handy – you need an engine to power you along. One of the most popular machines of winter, for those living in the great outdoors, is the snowmobile, which can be both practical and fun.

Of course, steel has long been an integral part of the internal combustion engine. In addition, snowmobiles rely on steel for a variety of other parts. The skis at the front of the snowmobile can be made from a variety of materials, including steel. Studs, which go through the track to create traction, are usually made from steel, too, providing strong, durable traction in the snow and ice.

There is also another steel machine that is as slow as the snowmobile is fast, but it is vital for skaters so they can enjoy an ice rink – the resurfacer (commonly known as a Zamboni). Weighing some 2,500 kilograms, a resurfacer needs to carry upwards of 380 liters of water, along with the blades and other equipment it uses to clean the ice and lay down a new coating of water. A resurfacer needs steel for the strength to support such a heavy machine plus the durability in cold conditions.

Winter is an exciting season with a whole range of special games and sports. And thanks to steel, there are even more fun things we can do.

Conquering Mountains with Steel

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“As I stepped closer to this work of art, the peace of the forest disappeared. The trees, the rays of light and the outlines of the trees’ roots gradually scattered, leaving behind only entangled wires. They were all I could see. As I backed up, the forest reappeared, at first glance appearing like pencil drawings. Then I asked myself, is what I see now the forest, or not?” Sung-ran Park, Novelist

What We See is Not Everything

Seung-mo Park is a sculptor who uses stainless steel wires to create complex and stunning works of art. Park layers the wire, bending and welding it until he completes his three-dimensional sculptures.

The right distance is required to enjoy Seung-mo Park’s “Yeon-gi 8460.” Yeon-gi is a Buddhist concept of connection; everything is interdependent. All things arise as a result of multiple causes and conditions. As viewers draw closer, shapes scatter until finally they may wonder what they saw. Wire entanglements, which were used to make the piece, are all that remain. Suddenly, the viewers can feel the weight of the wire materials, and the change of the property can be confusing. Some of Park’s pieces weigh over one ton.

“Most people who see Yeon-gi have the same feeling,” says the artist, Seung-mo Park with a smile. Born in Gyung-nam Sanchung, he speaks with using a local dialect. Having been raised in a small country town, there was not much to see or do, so he occupied his time by drawing pictures on the ground. Although not really sure why, his usual subject was horses. Amazed, his friends would surround him, watching while he drew. After some time, his life would change because of a phone call from one of these friends.  

Most people focus on the material first. When Park exhibited his aluminum series, people often asked him how he came to decide on aluminum. They wondered how aluminum wires could be used to create everything objects like bicycles, instruments, statues of Buddha and even people.

A bicycle is a bicycle. An instrument is an instrument. Buddha is Buddha. But are the sculptures even real? The sculptures made of meticulously wound up wires are all empty inside. What the viewers think they see, isn’t truly there. The intensity of the subject matter and the difficulty of the pieces of art captivated audiences.

Seung-mo Park says of his work, “You recognize it clearly as a picture from a distance first, but as you start to approach, it begins to fade and you feel a sense of alienation. People usually move back to view the work again, what I want is only for them to ask themselves at that moment – ‘Is it real or not?’”

(Image: http://bit.ly/1JUM6aL)

Intertwining Connections with Steel

He had previously thought about creating art with steel. By chance, he spoke to his friend who happened to be a painter. “Different muscles are developed depending on the environment where a man grows up. And one can know who he is and how he has lived so far based on them.” That story remained with him for a long time. He wondered, was he made in a same way? If environment makes a man, is man not made of particles which are, in effect, just tangled connections?”

Park began work on Yeon-gi based on that idea; however, it was difficult to find adequate material to represent particles. He tried working with straw numerous times, but it couldn’t be molded. Aluminum was laborious to weld, but the biggest challenge was that it collapsed and couldn’t hold its shape. Steel was the final option. Steel is now his most favorite material because steel is capable of being molded and carved. Still it took a long time to find a way to make steel represent particles. 

Who Am I?

A phone call with his hometown friend prompted Park to ask himself, “Who am I?” His friend reminded him he once drew pictures very well. At that moment, Park realized that while he had once believed it was his mission, he only started to draw to get the attention of others. He immediately stopped studying and headed to India. While he was visiting Parbat Mountain, he found himself drawing again while sitting in a café. Speaking about his vision as active artist, he says, “I think there’s no answers. In the past, I tried to find answers. But now, all I think about is finding the question.”

(Image: http://bit.ly/1UDLRUy)

After the interview, the artist shared a photo of a back view of Yeon-gi. Yeon-gi is not a work of art that can be viewed passively. The audience actively views it from all angles. They will find more light from the back view than the front.

What is this? What is the difference between the back and the front of the wire entanglements? When the audience considers these questions, a complete understanding of the work is discovered. It is this duality that has been central to Seung-mo Park for a long time; life and death, dream and reality. The images he creates are vague, like a fantasy. We are only particles too, such as the trees and water in Yeon-gi. Suddenly, the audience finds themselves asking themselves the question, “Who am I?” There was no clear answer, but the question is enough.

The images that cross your mind may seem apocalyptic, or even impossible to fathom. There is barely a part of our lives today that is not influenced by the metal, and it is not an exaggeration to say that steel is perhaps the most significant component of the modern world. Without it, civilization as we know it would cease to exist. Let’s take a look at a few ways the world would be a different place without steel.

Skylines would be incredibly boring.

Structures such as skyscrapers and towers would be inconceivable without steel supports and cables. Therefore, buildings would be low-rise at their tallest, making densely populated cities devastatingly uncomfortable. It’s hard to imagine a world without the likes of the Burj Khalifa, the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building, all of which utilize steel as a main construction component.

We’d have very few options for dinner.

The food we eat today has been refined in factories with steel tools, processed with steel equipment, baked in steel ovens and preserved in steel cans. It is delivered to us via steel trains on steel rails, or by steel trucks over steel-reinforced roads. As such, in a world without steel, our food sources would be limited to what could be cultivated locally and the possibility of faminewould be persistent.

Getting in touch would take for-ev-er.

(Image source: http://bit.ly/1dgLFuc)

Without steel to manufacture telephones, computers or even mail trucks, we would be stuck relying on less than efficient carrier pigeons (which were actually a thing a few thousandyears ago) or the pony express. So much for instant connection.

Reading material would be extremely limited.

(Image source: http://bit.ly/1tNFW6q)

Newspapers, magazines and books we read today are mostly printed on a steel press. Even the paper is made from wood which is cut with steel implements and processed in steel machines. Mind you, there wouldn’t be any steel-plated pens, either, so quills would be used to write and copy the material. Of course, there might be bronze movable type printing, but it would still take a very long time and amount of patience to carry out.

Disease would run rampant.

Stainless steel has contributed greatly to improved sanitation in hospitals, restaurants and other public environments, and has helped to save the lives of millions. Easy to clean, it is more hygienic, impervious to corrosion and scratch-resistant, and is capable of standing up to harsh sterilizers, heat and heavy use, preventing deadly bacteria from surviving on its surface. Without it, the constant threat of diseases such as Ebola and measles would be very real.

Unemployment would rise and the economy would crumble.

Crude steel production reached 1.66 billion tons worldwide in 2014 which only says one thing about our world… it’s growing. It’s estimated that more than 95 countries are producing steel today, with more than two million employees worldwide, and a further two million contractors and four million people in supporting fields. Without this vital industry, the world economy would suffer and many people would be without jobs.

A glimpse into the world of steel

Fortunately, we do live in a modern world where steel does exist and its importance is clear. Yet few people tend to notice it, or understand how it works. Which is why TenarisUniversity, in conjunction with the World Steel Association’s steeluniversity, has launched the massive open online course (MOOC), “Introduction to Steel.”

This lively online learning program will feature the basics of steel melting, steel’s historical and cultural context, its relationship with society and the sustainability of a world supported by steel by utilizing everyday examples, demonstrations and film footage of steel making. Additionally, it will encourage community interactions between students and the professor.

“We believe in the highest standards of education to develop people all around the world,” Rolando Lange, Director of TenarisUniversity noted. “With this MOOC, we hope students will get passionate about steel as a material and learn about the critical role it plays in our society.”

Comprised of a four-hour framework, the course is open to all free of charge. It starts on June 2 and will run for two weeks. Registration is now open. Click here to enroll in the class, or for more information.

Tet Trung Thu Festival in Vietnam for Children

In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival, known as Tet Trung Thu, is the country’s second most important holiday, after Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. Tet Trung Thu usually takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. This year, the holiday was on the 7^th of September. The traditions of this holiday date back to thousands years ago. Having a significant meaning on children, the festival was originally considered as a celebrating period for parents to catch up with their children after summer harvest was completed. Also, believing that children are innocent and pure, people thought that children are the closest connection to the sacred and the natural world.

Today, we would like to introduce what POSCO-Vietnam did with local children during the festival.

POSCO-Vietnam’s Tet Trung Thu Performance  

As the lively atmosphere of Mid-Autumn Festival spread out throughout the country, POSCO Vietnam and People’s Committee of Chau Pha Commune organized the Full moon Festival for more than 100 children on the 5^th of September at Chau Pha Cultural House. The Festival was attended by the representatives from Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s Union of Friendship Organization, Tan Thanh People’s Committee and Directors Board of POSCO-Vietnam and leaders of Chau Pha Commune as well. The festival started with hand-crafted animal figures’ bouncy dances to the sounds of a drum and cymbals, providing traditional entertainment for the Full moon night. Ong Dia, a grinning clown-like figure who represents the Earth God, danced along with the lion figures. Wearing a large pink mask, Ong Dia danced while holding his fat belly with one of his hands and waving a paper fan with the other. All performances were prepared by POSCO Vietnam’s employees and local people.

Sharing Warmth with the Local Community

POSCO-Vietnam offered about 50 gifts to the children in need at Chau Pha Commune. We hoped that the poor children could also have a happy holiday because children are the most deserved to receive the gifts on a special day. “It was incredible how much the children seemed happy after receiving my gifts”, General Director of POSCO Vietnam, Mr. Yun Yang Su said. “I feel really happy because this is the first time I join a Full moon Festival in Vietnam and I would like to send my best wishes to the children of Chau Pha Commune.” He added.

A 5 year-old, Nguyen Tieu Kiet said after receiving gifts, “I have never participated in a more exciting festival than this. I was very happy to play so many interesting games at the festival. I would like to thank the company for organizing this festival and giving gifts for us”

On behalf of Chau Pha Commune, Mr. Le Thanh Lam, Vice president, sent gratitude to POSCO Vietnam and hoped that Chau Pha Commune would receive more care and support from sponsors to help poor children overcome difficulties and study well.

More CSR Activities of POSCO Vietnam

• For a Better World: 2014 Global Volunteer Week at POSCO Vietnam
• A Tết to Remember: POSCO Volunteers & Habitat for Humanity in Vietnam

POSCO’s Integrated India Steelworks Project received the green-light.

On January 16^th, President Geun-hye Park, who is visiting India as a national guest, held a summit conference with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and received approval for Korean enterprise to support the Indian government in constructing a steelworks in the State of Orissa.

Accordingly, POSCO expects to speed up the administrative approval processes, including mining rights approval, and construction site securement which has been in progress since a local subsidiary was established in August 2005.

POSCO signed an MOU with the State Government of Orissa in June 2005 regarding steelworks sites, mining rights, and the provision of exclusive ports, and implemented a 12 million ton steelworks construction project with a 12 billion USD investment.

However, lawsuits concerning iron ore exploration rights arose as well as delays in securing sites owned by the state, creating difficulty in fully implementing the project.

With President Park’s assistance, POSCO was able to re-acquire environmental authorization and approval for steelworks construction, the first of which expired in 2012, 5 years after approval in 2007.

Accordingly, POSCO secured the legal ownership of 11,239,669㎡ of land on which it plans to construct a 8 million ton steelworks, and can continue the process to receive approval from the India Central Government for iron ore exploration rights in areas approximately 300㎞ inland from the steelworks, raising expectations for smooth steelworks project implementation.

POSCO plans to focus on securing mining rights timed in relation to steelworks completion, considering the time needed to complete mine development after receiving iron ore exploration rights approval, and will continue to prepare the basis for steelworks construction including site securement and infrastructure connection.

The steelworks to be built in the state of Orissa is competitive, with plans to apply environmentally-friendly FINEX technology for which POSCO holds patents, and will have a direct employment effect of approximately 18,000 hires, with another 870,000 jobs likely to be created in related industries. Once the Orissa steelworks is completed, quality steel materials can be provided, ultimately contributing to steel demand industry development and the regional economy and that of India overall.

In tandem with steelworks construction in India’s Eastern Orissa, POSCO constructed a Zinc Plating Plant for high end automobile steel plates, with completion in May 2012, and an annual production of 450,000 tons.; a Non-oriented Steel Plate Plant completed in December 2013, at an annual production of 300,000 tons; and a Cold-rolled Plant with an expected completion date of June 2014, and annual production of 1.8 million tons in the state of Maharashtra, investing a total of 1.2 billion USD to carry out down stream production and construction projects simultaneously.

Steel processing centers have also been established in Delhi, Pune, and Chennai to provide quality services for automobile and home appliance demand, while a logistics subsidiary is in operation at Diggi Harbor near Mumbai.

In addition to the steel project, POSCO Family companies including POSCO E&C, Daewoo International, POSCO PLANTEC, and POSCO ICT are making efforts to strengthen cooperation in various industries essential to the growth of India’s economy, with a total of 14 local subsidiaries, approximately 100 dispatched employees, and 1,540 local hires, contributing to regional growth and job creation.

Raising global competitiveness by standardizing work methods

POSCO launched ‘POSPIA 3.0’, POSCO Family’s unique future management system, on January 1^st at POSCO Indonesia’s integrated steelworks.

POSPIA 3.0 is a ‘future integrated management system, globally optimizing 176 systems throughout the company, combining the abilities of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) which manages overall production, purchase, and sales data, as well as the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) which manages steel production activities, the Supply Chain Management system (SCM) for sales and production efficiency, and the Smart Workplace (SWP) which supports a working culture of creativity, cooperation, and communication among employees.

Accordingly, by consolidating and standardizing the work method through purchasing, sales, marketing, planning, and finances, POSCO has affirmed differentiated global competiveness.

POSPIA 3.0 successfully underwent the process of design, development, testing, education, and training over two years and two months starting with the Big Picture stage in 2011, where the future blueprint was planned. During this period, 1,800 employees directly participated in the project, while all employees completed training to understand and experience the new work method.

The overall launch of POSPIA 3.0 will cover all company processes including client orders, input, production, shipment, and payment. Accordingly, on January 1^st, the first day of operation, it was critical to convert the pre and post system connection tasks without error or stopping production.

A total of 540 employees including SCO employees from Seoul, Pohang, and Gwangyang as well as the POSCO ICT Pangyo Main Situation Room gave their full efforts around the clock on December 31^st to launch POSPIA 3.0 on the first day of the new year. To be prepared for possible emergencies, production department team leaders of two steelworks cooperated with all employees at the launch, leading to great success.

POSCO plans to expand POSPIA 3.0 application to all POSCO family companies worldwide starting with its overseas steel subsidiaries. Through POSPIA 3.0, the company expects to innovate work method in an efficient manner, moving a step further along the path from strengthening steel core competitiveness to securing global competitive advantages over its competitors.

The Korea consortium formed between POSCO, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), and the Korean Railway (“Korail”) signed an MOU with Russian Railways on November 13^th at the Blue House with the presidents of Korea and Russia in attendance, to cooperate in the railway, logistics, and port fields.

This was a development based on the Eurasia initiative President Park Geun-hye proposed to President Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit in September where private companies lead the project, and is expected to contribute to developing Korea-Russia relations as well as open the growth plates for the newly rising Northeast Asia region.

The Najin-Khasan project, which is at the core of the cooperation, was established by Russia for railway construction and port development in North Korea’s Najin and Russia’s Khasan regions.

Korean companies attempted to participate by establishing a joint logistics company back in 2007, but it did not work out at the time. With little development following, Russian Railways sought to enter the Far East region at the end of 2011, and contacted POSCO for possible participation to re-start talks on the project. POSCO evaluated the development potential of the Far Eastern and Siberian regions highly, and concluded that linking logistic lines was crucial to securing a stable material route and reviewed participation in the project.

POSCO also, for a larger frame business of linking the Eurasia logistics route in the long-term, determined that a domestic company with specialties was necessary, and formed a consortium with Korail in the railways field and Hyundai Merchant Marine in the logistics field for joint participation. 

The project will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will focus on the North Korea-Russia joint venture RasonConTrans led railways connection, port and terminal development, and operation between Najin and Khasan. The second phase will expand the project to linking the TKR (Trans Korean Railway) and the TSR (Trans Siberia Railway) considering political and economic situations.

 Economic advantages will exist once the second phase of the project linking the TKR and the TSR is completed, as cargo from the Asia region can be transported to Europe through the Eurasia line at approximately one-third the distance and less than half the original delivery time.

From the perspective of POSCO, which is participating in the consortium, more than 2 million tons of resources are imported through Far East ports, but if the project is carried out smoothly, logistical stability can greatly improve and Korail can directly benefit from the TKR-TSR linked project. Hyundai Merchant Marine can also secure an advantage in expanding business in the region by establishing a complex logistics network. POSCO and Hyundai Group especially are constructing an international logistics complex in the Hunchun region which is contiguous to North Korea, China, and Russia, and thus expect great synergy once the Najin-Khasan project gets on track.

Meanwhile, experts have determined that this project can have greater power of execution and stability with the participation of POSCO in the resource/infrastructure field, Korail in the railways field, and Hyundai Merchant Marine in the logistics field, all specialized companies in each field.

The Korean consortium consisting of POSCO, Hyundai Merchant Marine, and Korail will thoroughly review profitability through economic feasibility analysis, and will also have close discussions with the government and project partners from a future-oriented perspective to have Korea contribute to leading Eurasia economic consolidation.

 Image Credit: kitoy

Weight and solidity is the key for determining a good bicycle. The lighter the bicycle, the faster it rolls, and the sturdier it is, the bike can be used longer and safely. Hence, various bicycle manufacturers strive for better materials. Let’s take a look at what kinds of materials are used for building a bike and how POSCO’s approach differs from the traditional manufacturing approach.

To make a bicycle lighter, Chromoly Titanium and Aluminum are often the primary material candidates.

Chromoly was originally used to produce aircraft frames in the 1970’s. Its extremely robust and high elasticity enables to make thinner frames. Chromoly is often used for luxurious bikes along with Titanium.—But manufacturing such bikes are extremely costly, ranging from $1000 USD, all the way up to $10,000 USD easily.

Aluminum is also considered a light metal which is good for building a lighter bike. However, Aluminum is not strong enough to make a thin frame due to its low solidity. Bicycles made out of Aluminum cost more than $1000 USD, weighing around 12 to 15kg. The more expensive the bike is, the lighter it gets.

Then the key to buying a good bicycle is to choose one that probably made of lighter yet stronger material that doesn’t cost a fortune to ride around for your enjoyment. Good news, there are bicycles that weigh less than 10kg and costs only about couple of hundred dollars: the POSCO bicycle. The bike was created out of a collaboration of POSCO and a bicycle manufacturer. Since the POSCO bicycle is made of high-solidified steel plating originally used for automobiles, it is light yet strong, and most importantly, sold at an affordable price.

POSCO Bicycle

POSCO’s high-solidified Dual Phase (DP) Steel for automobiles is a unique steel plate. The relatively tender first phase allows the metal to stretch easily and steadily. When the rigid second phase is initiated the metal can be flexibly bent and simultaneously hard when manufactured. Moreover, when comparing Titanium and Chromoly, one can make an extremely lighter and affordable bicycle.

If we look closely at the hood of some cars, some consist of a pave patterned style, which is only possible thanks to the hardness and the flexibility of Dual Phase (DP) Steel, the key material of hoods made today. Making bicycles using POSCO DP steel has allowed us to create light, sturdy bikes at an affordable price.