The opening of the POSCO America office in Atlanta was attended by more than 30 VIPs, including embassy dignitaries, POSCO executives, and customers.

Previously located in New Jersey, POSCO America’s move to Atlanta puts it in the center of the economic hub of the southeast region of the US and strategically close to the growing automobile and energy industries. The annual demand for steel in the southeast accounts for about 38% of the US’s total demand of 41 million tons. In addition, lower labor and logistics costs are helping the southeast revive the US manufacturing industry.

Many of POSCO’s customers are also concentrated in the southeast, including Hyundai, Kia, Kiswire, Caterpillar, GM, Honda, and other auto parts companies. Because Atlanta has become a transportation hub both regionally and nationally, it will be easier for POSCO to secure highly-skilled workers while also taking advantage of the inland transportation systems that provides easier access to key cities such as Houston, Mobile, New Orleans, Wilmington, and more.

POSCO America is laying the groundwork for an increase in demand for steel in the southeast region of the US. The office will act as a forward base for POSCO’s exports and contribute to the development of the region by creating demand for high-grade steel. Moreover, moving beyond the role of a basic steel provider, POSCO America will provide high-quality customer service in real time, becoming a “Total Solution Provider,” working closely with its sales offices in Detroit, Houston, and Mexico, as well as its regional technical service centers.

Since its establishment in 1984, POSCO America has been exporting its products to the Americas and managing local joint venture corporations. The office will act as the regional headquarters of POSCO America with over 40 employees working to support sales and technical teams for regional clients while also helping to support POSCO’s affiliates and subsidiaries in the US.

POSCO America represents 24 corporate investments, subsidiaries, and affiliates in the Americas. Major production and sales subsidiaries in the Americas include POSCO Canada which mines and sells coal from Canada; UPI, a joint venture between POSCO and US Steel; the Alabama Coil Production Center; POSCO Mexico, which produces and sells plated products; and CSP, an integrated steel mill jointly founded with Dongkuk Steel, which produces and sells slabs. As POSCO Group affiliates, POSCO Daewoo and POSCO E&C are active throughout many places in the Americas.

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Before the construction of CGL in Guangdong, POSCO had manufactured auto steel plates in the Gwangyang Steelworks in Korea and supplied the products to POSCO China and 11 other manufacture centers to complete and sell them across the nation. Now, POSCO is capable of offering ever more optimized customer services with the advanced production line to meet local clients’ needs in a timely manner. Furthermore, we anticipate POSCO to hold a firmer stance as a global steel manufacturer by acquiring an overseas production base in China, a highly booming nation with large scale automotive industries.

CEO Chung said “POSCO’s CGL in Guangdong will play a vital role for promoting the province’s status as a core global production base for motor industry and related fields. It will be assisted with high-end auto steel plates and household steel plates produced in the new production line.”

After the ceremony, the CEO met with Hu Chunhua, Secretary of a Guangdong provincial Party Committee who also congratulated the completion of CGL and praised the contribution made by POSCO. CEO Chung agreed with the secretary’s appraisal and illustrated his beliefs in the mutual development of Guangdong and POSCO as he felt confident in the partnership between the two.

POSCO will continue with the achievement by planning to manufacture 450,000 tons of galvanized steel sheets annually from the new manufacturing base, working with POSCO-CFPC in Guangdong, POSCO-CSPC in Jiangsu as well as 11 other manufacture centers in China. The products will be supplied to Toyota, Honda, Nissan, GM, Volkswagen, Hyundai, KIA and local car manufacturers.