In April 2019, just a day before Arbor Day, a severe wildfire broke out in different parts of Gangwon Province, Korea. Among the affected areas, Okgye was hit the hardest. The fire destroyed several thousand hectares of the woods. While it took an instant for the fire to spark from a power line, it will take 100 years for the charred forest to return to its original state.

To help in handling this tragic situation, POSCO stepped in and carried out a forest restoration project. POSCO established a fund named ‘Emerald,’ — after the green jewel — with U.S. coal supplier, Xcoal. Under the agreement, POSCO and Xcoal each contributed 50,000 USD, totaling to 100,000 USD. On April 18, the fund was sent to Tree Planet, a social enterprise, to help plant 10,000 trees on 3.3ha of land in Okgye.

For POSCO, this isn’t the first case of fund establishment with suppliers.

In November 2019, POSCO established a fund named ‘Opal,’ with Australian coal supplier Yancoal. The fund was used as a scholarship in mining industry training for Indigenous Australians. The series of funds — all named after jewels — are so-called, ‘GEM’ Funds. In addition to its dictionary meaning of ‘jewel,’ GEM stands for ‘Go the Extra Mile.’ POSCO operates the GEM Fund in the form of a 1:1 matching fund with material suppliers. The company plans to continue establishing these social fund agreements.

Earth Day celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Following a massive oil spill that polluted the coast of California in 1969, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson announced the idea for an environmental teach-in on college campuses. The day was chosen for April 22, 1970, which eventually became the first Earth Day.

The unusual clear skies that we encounter these days might not be something we should take for granted. The reason POSCO strives to make our planet an ‘emerald’ green lies here. POSCO Newsroom is set to keep you posted with updates along this journey.

Advancements in products, production methods, and new technologies have helped POSCO expand the expectations of what a sustainable steel company should be.  

In honor of Earth Day, The Steel Wire takes a look back at seven recent initiatives & breakthroughs from the last year that have helped POSCO become an industry leader in sustainable development.

POSCO GIGA STEEL: Lighter for EVs, Less Production Emissions

As the auto industry heads toward producing lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles, they need materials that are both strong and light. Car bodies manufactured with POSCO GIGA STEEL and other advanced high strength steels could see a 26% reduction in total weight. Also, based on its life cycle assessment measuring carbon dioxide emissions from production to recycling, POSCO GIGA STEEL performs remarkably well as an eco-friendly material. According to the World Steel Association, steel emits 2.0 to 2.5 kg of carbon emissions when producing 1 kg of material while aluminum emits 11 to 12.6 kg when producing the same amount.

See how POSCO GIGA STEEL offers an ideal material solution for automakers looking to make more lightweight and fuel efficient cars.

POSCO’s Smart Factory Introduces Artificial Intelligence

When POSCO introduced artificial intelligence into its smart factory operations in February, they were able to create higher quality products using a more sustainable production method. Coating weight control is a highly sophisticated process that keeps the coating layer consistent. Quality can deviate depending on the worker, but with POSCO’s new AI technology they can ensure quality control while reducing wasted zinc during production.

Read more about how POSCO is using AI and smart factory technology to make its operations more efficient and sustainable.

POSCO’s Advancements in Lithium Extraction Recharge the Battery Industry

Lithium extraction traditionally takes anywhere from 12-18 months using a slow evaporation technique. However, POSCO’s new extraction method, which came online in February of this year, takes from 8 hours up to one month while also offering a purity rate of 99.9% and increasing the lithium recovery rate to over 80%, which reduces the resources needed for extraction making the process more sustainable and eco-friendly. Also, in a first for the industry, POSCO developed a way to extract lithium from recycled batteries. Both of these innovations have helped create more eco-friendly processes for an industry that is expected to grow exponentially in coming years.

Find out more about POSCO’s developments in lithium extraction and its efforts to reshape the industry.

POSCO Expands Production of its Non-Oriented Silicon Steel for Electric Vehicle Drive Motors

Top-grade non-oriented silicon steel is a core ingredient in high-efficiency premium consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It is an environmentally-friendly material that saves energy and reduces CO2 emissions. With the completion of its non-oriented silicon steel (Hyper NO) facility on February 20, production has increased from 80,000 to 160,000 tons, which is enough to supply parts for approximately 2.6 million electric vehicle drive motors.

Read more about POSCO’s efforts secure its position as a leading supplier to the growing electric vehicle market.

POSCO Humans Selected as Innovation Leader for Sustainable Solar Power Development

POSCO Humans received excellent evaluations last January for its steel structures that were built for solar facility installations. In particular, POSCO Humans received high marks for its structure that are used exclusively for floating solar power generation facilities and exclusive bolts that utilize PosMAC. It is a bolt-assembled structure that eliminates the need for hole machining and special tools.

Discover how POSCO developed floating solar panels using PosMAC.

POSCO’s World Premium Stainless Steel Shows No Corrosion After 18 Years at Incheon Airport

The first passenger terminal at Incheon International Airport was built in 2001 using POSCO’s 446M steel, and after 18 years, few signs of corrosion have been seen. Building exteriors and roofs are the most visible parts of buildings, while also being the most vulnerable to corrosion. Materials used in their construction should be both corrosion-resistant and aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, when planning for the second terminal, they decided to use the same type of steel along with the application of the bead blast process that will create a rough texture on the roof to lower the reflectivity rate for aircraft pilots during take-offs and landings.

Find out how POSCO’s stainless steel products offer decorative and durable interior and exterior options in buildings.

PosMAC Shines at Renewable Energy India

PosMAC was recognized at the Renewable Energy India expo for its unique properties that make it uniquely suited for solar energy development. PosMAC is not just lightweight, it is also non-corrosive and durable enough to last 20-30 years.

Find out more about PosMAC at the Renewable Energy India expo, or find out more about PosMAC.

Throughout April & May, The Steel Wire will explore the uses and benefits of POSCO GIGA STEEL and what POSCO is doing to lead the industry with new automotive steel solutions.   Subscribe to our newsletter today.