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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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.