At the 2014 POSCO Global EVI Forum, more than 1,200 people from 500 global client companies attended and observed POSCO’s strong will to create customer value through its constant solution marketing. Under the theme of ‘From Steel Supplier to Solution Partner’, the forum’s main program, the Industrial Session, proceeded in six different categories: automobile, energy, shipbuilding, electronics, construction, wire rod and stainless. In our previous blog post on 2014 POSCO Global EVI Forum, we introduced the overall activities and content of the event. Today, we would like to share more detailed descriptions of the forum and interviews with POSCO’s global client companies.

1. Topics Of The Six Industrial Sessions

Automobile – ‘Steel Solution For Eco-Friendly Cars Of The Future’
The automobile session started with DPCA (Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile) and Volkswagen’s keynote speech on the trend of vehicle weight reduction and its technical development. Following the speech, POSCO’s automotive structural steel development, Nissan’s environment-friendly activities and weight reduction technology development, Ford-India’s business status and POSCO-Maharashtra’s localization strategy were introduced. In addition, Volkswagen presented a research on automotive high-manganese PosM Steel deformation behavior while Austem demonstrated its development state of magnesium seat cushion pan through form analysis.

Energy & Shipbuilding – ‘Steel Material’s New Pursuit In The Oil· Gas Industry’
The energy and shipbuilding session started off with ForceTEC’s keynote speech which introduced Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering’s development on high manganese steel LNG tank and the new pursuit of steel materials within the oil and gas industry. Also, as examples of solution application, large container ship brittle crack arrest solution developed by Samsung Heavy Industries and semi-submersible floating structure of an American company, Principle Power Inc.

Construction Session – ‘Introducing The Application Of High-Strength Steel In Construction’
Under the topic of ‘Extensive Establishment of Global Solution in the Construction Market’, the keynote speech of the construction session was brought by LERA on the application cases of high-strength steel in construction whereas, K&C Engineering company from America introduced a blast-resistant design of high-performance steel. Also, Bandung Institute of Technology of Indonesia presented the basic design of the Sunda Strait Bridge. 

Electronics Session – ‘Sharing The Design Of High-Strength Steel Home Appliances’
The electronics session focused on the topic of ‘design of high-strength steel home appliances and electrical steel sheet technology for high-efficiency product development’. IHS Energy and Power Consulting presented on the display industry issue and perspectives while Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) delivered a keynote speech on ‘electric motor technology trends and electrical steel sheet’s requirement’. Additionally, TCC Steel introduced case studies of POSCO steel material utilization whereas Siemens proposed about a power transformer’s DC compensator.

Stainless Session – ‘Creating The Safe, Eco-Friendly And Sparkling Stainless World’
With a general topic on ‘solution marketing for the safe, eco-friendly and sparkling stainless world’, the stainless session initiated with POSCO Research Institute’s keynote speech on the trends of global competition in the stainless steel industry and Dgenx’s proposal on its automotive exhaust system. Moreover, POSCO reported about the development trend of new stainless steel product.

Wire Rod Session – ‘Reporting The Development Trend Of High-Strength Cable For Bridges
The wire rod session which was held under the topic of ‘solution marketing and shared value of the global era’, opened with French specialty contractor, Freyssinet’s presentation on the development trend of high-strength cable for bridges’. Subsequently, Denmark COWI’s applicable technology trends and Nissan’s long steel quality improvement activities were introduced. Also, POSCO’s global sales strategy and R&D activities for wire rod sector were presented at the session.

2. Special Interview With POSCO Clients At The Global EVI Forum
Let’s check out what POSCO’s clients at the event would like to share about POSCO and this year’s EVI forum.

2-1 Nam-Jun Park, Managing Director Of KISWIRE

How Would You Describe The Cooperation Between POSCO And KISWIRE?
POSCO and KISWIRE have been engaging in cooperative activities such as the strategic development of potential items for more than 10 years now. And the long-term business cooperation has recently achieved a fruitful result. It was especially more meaningful to present the cooperation history of POSCO and KISWIRE at the forum session.

What Special Meaning Does Solution Marketing Have On KISWIRE?
As a project management format management structure, KISWIRE has been actively engaging in development activities from product order to finished product for a long time. Nowadays, this would be called ‘solution’ or ‘solution marketing’. Rather than focusing on each individual problem with a myopic perspective, looking at a larger picture while providing a diverse choice of solutions to clients and displaying a pioneer spirit in the given field can be considered as ‘solution’ in a broad sense. 

What Are Your Expectations For POSCO In The Future?
Through this year’s forum, I was able to reconfirm POSCO’s great efforts on solution marketing at the corporate level and POSCO’s strong will to actively share it with client companies. Also, as a client myself, I was inspired by CEO Kwon Ohjoon’ s keynote speech to hold an expectation that POSCO will be supportive to solve the client’s issues together. I hope POSCO can actively coordinate with clients on developing and creating the market in the future.

2-2 Prof. Dr. Ir. Iswandi Imran, Structure Engineer From Faculty Of Civil And Environmental Engineering Of Bandung Institute Of Technology 

How Is POSCO’s Solution Marketing Related To Your Presentation At The Forum?
During the construction session, I made a presentation on the foundational design of the Sunda Strait Bridge (JSS) which will be connecting Sumatra and Java islands in Indonesia. Today, POSCO’s high-strength steel technology has developed further compared to my research result announcement which was two years ago. Numerous hazards exist on site since the Sunda Strait contains deep sections of more than 60m in depth and towers are constructed on an extremely steep sea bottom. However, with POSCO’s solution, which is the high-strength steel of 2200MPa strength, the problems of risk factors are resolved.

Is There Any Perspective Plan To Cooperate With POSCO?
On November 11^th, a seminar hosted by Himpunan Ahli Konstruksi Indonesia (HAKI) and supported by Indonesia’s Institute of Road Engineering (IRE) will be held in Jakarta. On the very next day, POSCO and Bandung Institute of Technology will be signing a MOA. I hope for a progressive and constructive cooperation plan can be established. It will be a great opportunity to exhibit POSCO’s brand value, outstanding technology, POSCO- Krakatau and more.

What Are Your Expectations For POSCO In The Future?
POSCO-Krakatau embodies a significant meaning since it is the very first blast furnace steel mill founded in Southeast Asia. I hope this MOA will develop as an outlook to solidify the relationship as students of Bandung Institute of Technology visit POSCO-Krakatau and learn about the steel production process.

Introducing POSCO’s Global EVI Forum

EVI (Early Vendor Involvement) is an activity, initiated by finished vehicle companies, brings the key auto parts companies to participate in new model development projects. The POSCO EVI Forum, which started as a domestic auto market target event, has been developing into a global event where various industry fields and global client companies participate in; also expanding the contact points with POSCO’s clients in the meantime. Currently, the event is positioning as client-oriented marketing festival to strengthen business partnerships with customers, while facilitating interaction and exchange with potential global clients.

Presentations and Discussions of Six Major Industrial Programs

During the general session which also includes the opening ceremony on the 28^th, Remi Bastian, Renault’s head of research, advanced studies and materials, Sungho Park, POSCO’s Director of Research Center and Raghavan Ayer, SK innovation’s Science Advisor and Senior VP made presentations on industrial topics. Except for the opening ceremony and the general session, the discussions were arranged into six major industrial programs, including automobile, energy, shipbuilding, electricity, electronic, construction, stainless, and wire rod.

Each session’s presentation and discussion on ‘Steel Solution for Eco-friendly Vehicle of Now and Future’, and ‘Energy·Shipbuilding Solution for Client’s Best Value’ intensified the concentration and communication among clients and participants at the event. There were hosted discussions about industrial technology trends, followed by topic-based presentations. Noteworthy examples included a presentation on technology development designed to lighten the weight of automobiles that was undertaken by Volkswagen in Germany; the development of Hadfield steel LNG tanks from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and the usage of wire rods in the marine industry by KISWIRE.

Also, the forum provided a special location to global clients of each session for technology consultation and purchase agreement, presentation and discussions. In fact, POSCO successfully established positive relationships with global clients through the technology consultation and sales agreement were proceeded for two days from the 27^th to the 28^th.

Focus on Renault’s ‘EOLAB’ of POSCO Chassis

As a rapid adaptation to the trend of European auto industry, Renault has recently introduced its hybrid concept car ‘EOLAB’ (a compound of the Greek god of wind ‘Aeolus’ and the English word ‘laboratory’) which contains POSCO’s steel products. Therefore, the unique technologies of POSCO were praised, including its lightweight· high strength products, which were used in the ‘EOLAB’ prototype. Other noteworthy additions included POSCO’s magnesium plating and PosM Steel, which received much attention from global client companies.

As a result, POSCO was able to sign various technology agreements and sales contracts during the automobile session which is one of the six industrial programs at the forum. Also, POSCO pursued a long-term cooperation with domestic and global companies of the finished vehicle and key auto parts at the same session of the forum. Moreover, POSCO agreed on technology cooperation and joint marketing activities with key domestic and global client companies for shipbuilding, construction, electronic appliance and wire rod.

Creating Successful Partnership through POSCO’s Solution Marketing

Also, this year’s forum has acquired a favorable comment by creating a special counter for POSCO’s solution business introduction and registration for the clients’ request on solution development. Even after the 2014 Global EVI Forum, POSCO promises to continue to seek for practical approaches to the customer value creation. Also, POSCO will further reinforce its growth foundation with clients by amplifying the solution marketing not only to domestic clients but also to distinguished global client companies.

In the next episode of our global blog’s Global EVI Forum series, we will introduce the in-depth explanations of each forum session and interviews with our client companies. So, please stay tuned with us!