What is the Circular Economy?

The circular economy concept gained momentum in the 1970s as academics, businesses, and thought leaders realized that there needed to be a change in the way products were manufactured and disposed of. The general goals of a circular economy involved eliminating waste, using renewable energy to manufacture goods, and to be more respectful of the natural environment.

In a circular economy, resources need to be allocated efficiently while making products that earn a return for the businesses without being too costly to consumers. Products should be durable, recyclable, and easily repaired. Simply put, manufacturers and consumers need to extend the life of their products before they are thrown away.

A well functioning circular economy ensures that products retain value even at the end of their use stage. Ideally, products would be-be 100% recyclable, and even before reaching that stage, they should be durable enough for reuse or remanufacturing. Steel represents a critical piece of this concept as it can be reused, repurposed, and remanufactured after use and then still remains infinitely recyclable. Beyond that, advances in steel production technology have created more energy efficient and green processes for steelmakers.

Steel in the Circular Economy

Steel is used to manufacture and ship almost every product on the globe. Its ubiquity makes it a central piece of the concept of a circular economy and more sustainable production. It can be reused, remanufactured, and recycled without losing any of its properties. Also, due to technological advancements in recent decades, steel has become both lighter and stronger making everything from cars to ships more energy efficient.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Steel is 100% recyclable without losing any of its original properties or strength.” quote=”Steel is 100% recyclable without losing any of its original properties or strength.” theme=”style6″]

In addition to lightweighting, one must look at steel’s life cycle assessment in order to measure its effect on the circular economy, Last month on The Steel Wire, Dr. Roland Geyer from the University of California at Santa Barbara took an in-depth look at the life cycle assessment of steel. His research aims to show that steel’s benefit to the automotive industry lies not only in its lightweight properties but also in its ability to be recycled and used over and over again – making it the most optimal material for automakers in a circular economy.

POSCO Innovates in Sustainable Steel Production

For its part in the circular economy, POSCO has been pursuing advancements in sustainable steel production from multiple angles. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, POSCO helped develop the FINEX® process. It is based on the direct use of iron ore fines and non-coking coal while eliminating the coke-making and sintering processes, which are most critical to the conventional blast furnace process. Combining these two decisive advantages led to lower production costs and a reduction of environmental emissions in comparison with the conventional blast furnace route.

For automakers, the steel used to manufacture vehicles is critical to the circular economy in both its production and use. POSCO has been at work developing new automotive steel solutions that are lighter, stronger, and more affordable. They have also begun utilizing advanced AI and IIoT (internet of things) solutions in its automotive steel plants to reduce waste.

Because POSCO GIGA STEEL is lightweight, strong, and affordable, it is the ideal material option for automakers looking to build more sustainable vehicles.

For its manganese steel production, POSCO developed new technology that cut production time in half while increasing efficiency by 10%. Now, instead of melting the iron, lowering the temperature, and then melting it again, POSCO can store the molten iron at its new PosLM facility helping to reduce energy costs and shorten production time.

In order to move toward a circular economy, businesses and industries must make fundamental changes to how their products are manufactured and used. Steel remains a critical piece of this concept as it can be reused, remanufactured, and recycled. However, more needs to be done, and companies like POSCO are taking the lead to develop more sustainable production processes.

*Graphs courtesy of the World Steel Association

POSCO invested a total of KRW 255.4 billion and the 7CGL is expected to have an annual production capacity of 500,000 tons. By designing and constructing the plant with its own proprietary technology, POSCO was able to reduce construction costs, thereby securing cost competitiveness for its customers as well.

POSCO CEO Ohjoon Kwon and executives came together on April 26 to officially bring 7CGL online. From left to right: Seong Yu, head of the Technology and Investment Division; Shohei Yamazaki, purchasing organizing director of Renault-Nissan; Kiyoshi Kamishima, general manager of the Materials & Facilities Purchasing Division of Toyota; Jae-cheon Song, chairman of the Gwangyang City Council; In-hwa Jeong, a national assembly member; CEO Kwon; Nak-yeon Lee, governor of Jeollanam-do; Hyun-bok Jeong, mayor of Gwangyang; and Myeong-jin Seo, executive director of Hyundai & Kia.

CEO Kwon remarked, “POSCO opens up a new horizon in automotive steel with the completion of the 7CGL. This new line will allow POSCO to continue to provide differentiated products and customized solutions through smart technology.”

The 7CGL is attracting attention as one of the first plants to produce both hot-dip galvannealed (GA) and hot-dip galvanized steel (GI) at 1.5GPa  steel for automobiles. GA steel is preferred by Korean and Japanese automakers because it has excellent coatability and weldability as the coating layer is made of iron and zinc alloy, while GI steel is preferred by European automakers due to its excellent resistance to corrosion.

Previously, GA and GI steel sheets could only be produced at 1.2GPa due to surface and quality problems that occur before and after plating. POSCO resolved these problems by developing the “high hydrogen rapid cooling technology,” which forms high-intensity tissues in steel sheets before plating, and a “rapid cooling system,” which uses rapid cooling to smooth out the plated surface.

With the completion of 7CGL, POSCO now has seven operating CGLs  in Gwangyang, two CGLs in Mexico, and five CGLs in Thailand, India, and China. Through these CGLs, POSCO plans to produce 10 million tons of steel by 2018 and further solidify its status as a global automotive steel maker.

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Traditionally, metal cutting methods have been used to manufacture machine components. The process would begin by shaping the metal through casting or welding, getting it to look as close as possible to the final product. To finalize the procedure, any unnecessary parts would be removed by a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) router. Using these types of cutting methods would accelerate the speed of production, but was considered wasteful since the majority of the starting material would be cut out and discarded. It is especially not appropriate for high-priced materials or materials that are difficult to cut.

Then there is additive manufacturing, which is a 3D printing technology that builds a final product through stacking layers of material, and then polished for a seamless appearance. The advantage of this method is that there is almost no waste of the material, which allows for the opportunity to create various prototypes without a separate mold or tool. A downside, however, is that it takes too long to manufacture, which makes it a tough choice for productivity.

Recently, General Electrics (GE), an American manufacturing corporation, officially joined the 3D printer business by assigning a merger of Arcam, a Swedish 3D printing specialized company, and the Germany-based SLM Solutions, to GE Aviation. Until now, 3D printing technology was primarily centered around plastic materials, but GE’s ambitious expansion into the 3D printing business indicates the rapid growth of new technology in producing major metal parts.

SLM solutions specializes in the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) method – a printing technique that requires laser-firing a bed of powdered metal such as titanium, special steel, aluminum, cobalt chrome or nickel, melting together the powder to form a structure. Sweden’s Arcam has been manufacturing aircraft engine turbine blades by using the Electronic Beam Melting (EBM) method, which enables high-speed 3D printing by injecting 100 or so electron beams simultaneously into the metal. By combining the technologies of these two merging companies, a new high-speed 3D metal printer is surely to be developed in the near future.

Manufacturing Metal Parts with 3D Printing

Image credit: WH Williams

The multinational special steel company, Voestalpine Group, recently established a new research and development center for the 3D printing of metal components. At this center, 3D printing manufacturing technology for automotive and aviation sectors, medical devices and complex metal parts will be researched.

Creating metal parts with 3D printing requires powdered metal of excellent quality. Raw metals initially undergo vacuum melting to become an alloy, which then becomes atomized by spraying high-pressure inert gas through a nozzle, turning into powder. The powder must appear very round and uniform, so the core of this technology is to meticulously control the nozzle’s injection amount, temperature, pressure, gas quantity and speed — all depending on the type of the alloy. The atomized powder is then classified by size, ranging from 20μm to 100μm, after several filtering processes.

Designing the metal components to be suitable for 3D printing is also important. Since the printer builds the part layer-by-layer, surfaces must fulfill the requirements for a laser or electron beam to scan through. As a fine diameter of light from the laser passes through the designed lines and surfaces, the powdered metal melts topically and creates a new layer on top of the previously laminated surface. At this point, the part may have an overall directional angle, so the order of drawing lines and angle within each layer is also very crucial.

During the 3D printing process, if the metal powder particles fail to melt completely or if there is a delay in clotting, minuscule bubbles could appear. The ability to withstand fatigue and fractures is important, as these metal components are supposed to support the weight of an object. Minor bubbles or gas pockets could be critical flaws. To achieve a perfect density by preventing bubble formation, the beam’s speed must be balanced and adjusted to suit different types of alloys.

This process demands additional attention when using metals of alloy elements. Unlike pure metals, alloys can experience a large gap in temperature and be able to exist in both solid and liquid states if their composing elements carry a great difference in melting points. In these cases, bubbles are easily made. Although alloy properties are very important, a composition of alloys with distinct melting points is required and the difference of these melting points must be maintained at a minimum.

That is, the development of suitable alloy metals for 3D printing, including technology for assigning a product’s cross section and designing a laser beam’s pass-through, is the bottom line of component manufacturing technology. In addition, the thickness of a component is closely related to the diameter of metal particles. Therefore, it is recommended to design the final product to be as thick as the particles it is made of, and vice versa.

The Future and Mission of 3D Printing

The 3D printing process creates an extremely complex structure that cannot be produced through conventional precision casting or processing methods. In that sense, even components of the same purpose can be designed with completely different structures using 3D printing. Thus, it is possible to reinforce the component’s functionality by reducing the component’s weight or enhancing its cooling performance.

It is now possible to manufacture components to produce their final shapes with special alloy metals, which had been impossible with conventional processing methods. As of recently, only a few types of metals were available for 3D printing. However, the low prices and excellent quality of metals now available will enable new developments of special steel 3D printing materials that meet the purpose of each component, expanding the spectrum of 3D printing.

As powdered metals accumulate together almost instantaneously, alloy elements do not diffuse or segregate. It is possible to obtain a supersaturated solid solution of alloy metal that has refined grains, which will allow for uniformity in texture.

Traditional metal component manufacturers, including GE, are now pursuing the 3D printing process as a transitioning path to digital manufacturing. They believe that 3D printing, a combination of precise mapping software, high-speed 3D printing devices and printing materials, will bring new solutions to their business.

Furthermore, enterprises are now being given the task to discover a multi-component special steel alloy that fits the manufacturing businesses’ demand. Various alloy powders are also expected to further develop so that 3D printing can be recognized as an optimized method for manufacturing components made of special steel in the future.

Written by science technology columnist Dr. Junjeong Lee

The opinions expressed in this POSCO Report piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of POSCO.

Yet, the quality standards for advanced steel used for drilling, producing, transporting, conserving and handling energy resources for oil and gas are becoming stricter so that steel can better endure the harsh drilling environments of the deep sea and polar areas, two domains on the radars of oil exploration geologists.

At this year’s Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), the world’s largest marine technology exhibition, which was held from May 4 to 7 in Houston, Texas, POSCO showcased its efforts on such developments. Included were its lineup of high-grade steel products, as well as the firm’s cross-department collaboration system between steel plants, laboratories and marketing departments, among others, to improve the development of functional, advanced steel.

Considered the leading forum for gathering and sharing offshore oil and gas information (as well as unveiling some impressive machinery), the goal of the conference, according to its website, is to “advance scientific and technical knowledge for the safe, environmentally friendly and sustainable development of offshore oil and gas resources.”

Despite recent low oil prices, the 2015 OTC attracted over 94,000 attendees, making it the sixth largest in its 47-year history. Additionally, approximately 2,700 major oil and global EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) companies from 37 countries participated.

Among these, POSCO represented South Korea, aiming to continue its solution marketing activities for advanced steel for energy, production and technology, as well as steel utilization techniques.

Introducing a variety of the company’s products and technologies, POSCO’s exhibition consisted of four zones: energy plants, energy pipes, shipbuilding, and manganese steel sectors. At the booth, a video on steel-making technology was presented to help attendees better understand steel products.

POSCO displayed its strength as a “total solution provider,” which has helped the firm to simultaneously strengthen its position in the steel market and discover new business opportunities.

Since it first participated in the OTC in 2008, POSCO has operated a booth annually as part of its demand development activities, which have led to the company’s increasing development of energy steel in a short period of time. Moreover, POSCO’s progressive product promotion and supplier certification activities have resulted in a successful long-term contract for the blanket supply of energy steel, and have solidified technical cooperation with clients.

As new advancements are made in offshore drilling technology, the utilization of steel in the industry will also evolve. POSCO will continue to adapt to such changes, and will work hard to manufacture sustainable, quality products to meet the demands of its clients.

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.

Introducing the API Steel Solution Marketing Trio!

Moon, Tae-yang: Hello. My name is Moon, Tae-yang and I am currently working at Coil and Sheet Order Processing Group of POSCO. In the division, I am in charge of planning the daily supply and demand for iron and steel manufacture at both Pohang and Gwangyang Steelworks, in accordance with monthly plans for slab processing. Along with duty, I am also managing the daily schedule of outer panel slab and foundry pig products which are created by the iron and steel processes.

Kim, Nam-jae: Nice to meet you. I am Kim, Nam-jae, currently working together with manager Moon at the Coil and Sheet Order Processing Group. My account is to proceed client orders as the daily supply and demand plans get confirmed. With the following order details, factories are assigned to produce each item. After that, I confirm the size of a slab and give instructions to steel tapping.

Cho, Hyuk-jin: Hello. I am in charge of sales of hot rolled steel materials at Energy and Tubular Goods Materials Sales Group, whereas manager Moon and manager Kim hold parts in handling thin plate orders, production and delivery. My group sells materials for various steel pipe productions.

Moon, Tae-yang: The solution marketing is the key strategy of enhancing the POSCO steel’s competency. Accordingly, the client-oriented solution marketing has shown a successful balance between technology and marketing in the API steel sector as well. The technology and marketing related divisions including order management, sales, research institute and GTC, coalesced as one to bring out optimal performance while conducting given tasks as a result.

Systematic Cooperation through VOC Analysis
In case of necessity, the divisions held a customer conference to accurately understand the VOC. Then, they searched and applied solutions to all actions from order request to product manufacturing and sales process. As everyone participated systematically and intimately in the solution marketing activities, a great amount of achievements was generated.

Cho, Hyuk-jin: The main topics of the quarterly technical consultation with client companies, have been extended from steel grade and ingredient to process unit weight and customized width of client’s demand. Paying close attention to every client demand and meticulously analyzing each request’s reason behind are certainly cumbersome. However, the process improved the task comprehension between technology and marketing, ultimately contributing to smooth and organic interactions.

Freight Cost Reduction Brings Profitability and Competency Boosts

Moon, Tae-yang: Since each client prefers a different unit weight, we adjusted transportation vehicle’s intervals depending on the unit weight of each client’s demand. Also, we put the transporting path from the steel mill to client’s plant sites into our consideration, and fully apprehended the shipping company’s car status in order to aptly allocate the vehicles on time.

The client companies that used to insist only on ‘longer’ products, gained higher satisfaction as the ‘better’ sized API steel was supplied. And, the improved product brought a decrease in extraction rate, also leading to a reduction of raw material costs. Moreover, as Pohang Steelworks’ API steel supply was enlarged about 60% compared to the previous year’s amount, transportation fees for nearby client companies in Pohang were reduced respectively!

It felt like the yearlong search for an answer from VOC was completely rewarded by the ‘client profitability improvement’. Also, POSCO’s strength as an API steel pipe material supplier was remarkably developed.

Kim, Nam-jae: We are currently at the testing stage of steel pipes manufacture. The pipes are produced at the new hot rolling plant No.4 in Gwangyang Steelworks, which has launched recently. Though there are still many aspects to be tested, we are expecting various positive effects as the tests get complete successfully.

First of all, the overall API production capability of Gwangyang Steelworks will be increased. And, it will lead to a large decrease in work load of the existing API steel plants including hot rolling plant No. 3. Most of all, the addition of another processing plant will speed up the production waiting time and the shipping date. We are expecting that this will ultimately amplify the client’s satisfaction.

POSCO’s solution marketing is certainly an essential strategy to POSCO steel’s competitive strength. We ask for your continued support and interest in POSCO’s API steel solution marketing that will always aspire to provide the ‘best’ environments and the ‘strongest’ effects to POSCO’s clients!

POSCO’s Innovation Activity named QSS has been the main driving force behind POSCO’s many unique innovations and promising results. With the help of QSS, POSCO was able to drastically improve its facilities while minimizing wastage since the initial application.

However, as it reached the “Best Plant” stage, the employees evaluated and urged that an application of existing QSS is unsuitable for facilities that operate 24/7. Taking into account, POSCO has made adjustments and developed an upgraded version of QSS named QSS+ which reflects the characteristics of steel company and respects autonomy. On August 12^th, 2014, POSCO held the proclamation ceremony for this new QSS+.  Let’s look into details!

One More Step to ‘POSCO the Great’ with the new QSS+

QSS+ with My M&S (Machine&Safety) Activities

Newly introduced ‘My M&S (Machine & Safety)’ differentiates the QSS+ from the existing QSS. Besides this new application, the rest of previous activities, such as 5S (Working Environment Improvement) and My Machine, remain identical. The new My M&S is specifically designed to create the world’s most safe and an ideal working environment for the employees mainly by deviating away from traditional ‘top-down’ to ‘bottom-up’ approach, which enables each division to self-set goals.

Furthermore, in order to heighten its technology capability in parallel with the QS5+, POSCO implemented 5 Stage OJT System and the ‘Master Hand of the Year’ program that nominates and honors 6 of the most talented technicians every year. In the long run, QSS+ will enable employees to ‘integrate work and innovation’ through efficient management.

Another Step to ‘POSCO the Great’ with Innovation Projects

In addition to QSS+, POSCO has been spurring the realization of ‘POSCO the Great’ through Innovation Projects. Ever since POSCO announced the ‘Project-oriented work method’, POSCO is expediting outcomes by applying ‘Project Visual Planning’ which allows POSCO to systematically manage the process and utilize a suitable methodology to its ongoing projects.

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VP (Visual Planning)

VP highlights P-D-C-A (Plan – Do – Check – Action) to stimulate efficient and effective performance of a group. This VP can be categorized into four groups depending on characteristics of the business: V-MBO type (methodical execution of business strategy related work), Work Diet type (unnecessary task cut down), Project type (efficient goal achievement) and Task Sharing type (constant task sharing).

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On August 12^th, Chairman Ohjoon Kwon complimented on the project layout status and excellence of coordinators after a thorough inspection on ongoing field projects and future plans. Moreover, he expressed that “innovation projects must target for the tasks that will actually generate profit” and requested for the projects to contribute to creation of fruitful outcomes by cooperating with relevant departments such as research, marketing and sales. 

Notes from Chairman Ohjoon Kwon on Steps Toward ‘POSCO the Great’

POSCO Chairman Ohjoon Kwon made a request for the employees to amplify their passions as QSS+ officially starts from its ceremony. He believes that passion is the key energy force to carry out the robust manufacturing sites to ‘POSCO the Great’ into realization. How would he define the further steps toward ‘POSCO the Great’?

Give value to the field sites

First, please give yourself values to your account. The sites manufacture the products that customers want, and it is the sites that determine whether values can be granted to the company or not. I hope that all the leaders at this ceremony could give values to each self. It is the leaders who are responsible for creating a workspace where the employees at sites could find their own values.

Be a master, not a servant

Second, I believe that if one thinks like a master, the one is motivated to seek for more works to do. Each leader must actively cope with changes and set up a goal by perspectives of Quality, Stability and Safety. Then, both the leaders and employees should estimate what needs to be done and bring out to actions in order to reach the goal.

Create positive energy by compliments and appreciations

Third, there is an old African proverb that says “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” If we encourage and cooperate with open minds, we will inspire positive energy to each other and this will be the driving force to consistently and accurately bring out the QSS+ activities.

We ask for your continuous attention tothe QSS+’s establishment as a good methodology that possesses the world best installation ability and surpasses the outcomes of the existing QSS!

[Iron is the Future] blog post series will explore the history of the iron and speculate on how it will unfold in the future.

Iron has had a significant impact on the advance of human civilization. Do you know how iron, which is now taken for granted and used widely, entered our lives in the first place?

Today, to kick off the first edition of [Iron is the Future] series, we have prepared the behind story of the emergence of iron on Earth, as well as, various origin theories of iron.

How is Iron, number 26 on the periodic table and the fundamental element of life forms, made?

Atomic number 26 Fe, a.k.a. iron, makes up 35% of Earth’s mass and 5.2% of Earth’s crust. The abundant metal is truly one of Earth’s essential building blocks.  As mentioned in our previous post, there are 3 grams of iron even in the human body. Let’s take a look at how it’s made.

Long, long time ago, in a galaxy far away, iron was born during a nuclear fusion reaction within a star. During the initial stages following the Big Bang, no elements that were heavier than hydrogen or helium existed. In other words, iron didn’t even exist in the very beginning.

Nonetheless, all elements have the tendency to return to the most stable state. In order to achieve this, elements continuously go through nuclear fusion and fission. Since iron is the most stable element in the universe, all elements naturally try to convert to it.

However, lighter elements require extreme heat to become iron through nuclear fusion, and to obtain such heat, extreme pressure is necessary. The only place that fulfills such requirements is within a giant star. Thus,  iron is  born when a giant star explodes into a supernova. This is why stars are nicknamed “Iron Factories in Space”.

How much iron is there in Earth?

Like we said, all elements have the tendency to turn into iron, the most stable element in the universe. Let’s see how much iron, one of the most widely used metals, makes up the Earth.

Iron accounts for a third of Earth’s mass. Most of it exists not in the crust, but within the core. It exists as a liquid in the outer core and as a solid in the inner core. In fact, 91% of the Earth’s core is made up of iron!

The iron within the outer core forms Earth’s magnetic field as it rotates along with the Earth. Though the force of Earth’s magnetic field is negligible compared to that of magnets, it nonetheless plays a very important role. The reason why have compasses to show us direction and help us tell north from south is due to Earth’s magnetic field!

Furthermore, the iron in Earth’s core makes our planet habitable by forming Earth’s magnetic field which protects us from solar wind.

Then why is it so important to not be directly exposed to solar wind?

The upper atmospheric layer of the Sun emits plasma, which is what we call solar wind. Plasma, in turn, is essentially for the flow of electrons and protons which is known as radiation. Space radiation, if exposed, could 1) alter our DNA which will lead to cancer; 2) take away the electrons from the atoms that form our bodies; or 3) be absorbed by the atoms. All three scenarios will inevitably make life unsustainable.  If there were no iron in Earth’s core, there would be no magnetic field to shield us and we wouldn’t be able to exist on Earth in the first place.

Are you curious about the various origin theories of iron? There are three theories about the birth of iron, let’s find out now!

Theory 1: A Mistake

The first theory is that the discovery of iron was, interestingly, a mistake. This theory posits that our ancestors mistook iron for chalcopyrite, an ingredient of bronze, which happened to be of similar shade and color. This theory becomes plausible when we assume that our ancestors already had the technology to manufacture bronze during the Bronze Age.

Theory 2: Wildfire

Next is the wildfire theory. This theory argues that a wildfire melted the iron ore that emerged on the earth’s surface, thus allowing our ancestors to discover iron. According to this theory, prehistoric humans took the now deoxidized and exposed iron ore and molded it into different shapes for use.

In general, the fire we use daily seldom goes over 800℃, which is insufficient heat to deoxidize iron ore. However, a wildfire in thick, prehistoric jungles could have been much larger and may have lasted for much longer, which makes the wildfire theory possible.

Theory 3: Meteorites

Last but not least is the meteorite theory. This theory posits that humankind discovered iron from fallen meteorites. In fact, many of the meteorites which landed on Earth contain abundant iron, which is called meteorite iron. Meteorites, which are an alloy of iron and nickel, are reported to contain 4~20% nickel and 0.3%~1.6% cobalt.

The most plausible of the aforementioned theories is the first one, which states that our ancestors mistook iron for bronze. According to ancient documents and ruins, humankind first began to use iron around BC 4,000 in the Asia Minor region. Also, evidence claims that iron refining technology existed around 3,000 B.C. in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

From cars to ships, planes, homes, various daily necessities, iron is indeed all around us. We hope this post provided some enlightenment around Iron. Look forward to our part 2 in the [Iron is the Future] series.

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.

“Bonjour les amis! My name is Vivier. Oui, I’m French, but I was born in New Caledonia. I’ve come to Korea to experience work at a global leading industry, SNNC, and to venture into the dazzling Korean culture first hand.”

Vivier is a vibrant twenty-five year old, who has completed an internship of three months at SNNC. She has bachelor’s degree in Korean and English. Before coming to Korea as an intern, she’s already been to Korea in 2010, to improve her Korea at the Hongik University.

“I encountered Tae-Kwon-Do for the first time when I was eighteen years old. I remember asking countless questions like ‘how do you say Side-kick, Turning-kick, Front-kick, Axe-kick etc. in Korean?’ and so on until finally the master yelled, ‘If you’re that curious, go learn Korean yourself!’ …C’est une excellente ideé, Master.”

Just like that, Vivier has decided to switch her studies from Economics to Korean. Now, let’s hear more about Vivier’s somewhat hectic and jocular, yet no doubt meaningful and valuable time she’d spent at SNNC.

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“Global leader of Fe-Ni Smelting Technology”

SNNC is a joint venture between POSCO and SMSP, New Caledonia’s largest nickel exporter, manufacturing and selling Fe-Ni which is the main material of stainless steel and other byproducts. SNNC is the first to domestically manufacture and supply Fe-Ni to POSCO, securing a stable supply of materials while contributing to securing the country’s six major strategic minerals. SNNC is a leading global industry who places high value on environment by using the newest and the most effective clean technology.[/box]

How it all began

Vivier first heard about the collaborative Nickel project between POSCO and SMSP in 2007 through New Caledonian broadcast. Hearing this news, the first to come to her mind was, “That’s where I belong.” Vivier admitted that she’d shown a little, just a slightest hint that she really wanted to work for Gwangyang SNNC during her internship at SMSP. Much to her surprise and overwhelming joy, soon later she got a call…oui, from Gwangyang SNNC, to come to Korea for an internship opportunity.

Some tips to adapting 100% at your Korean Internship

Beware of the Korean “Question” Attack

“Every Monday, my coworkers ask me what I’ve done over the weekend. In France, unless any particular occasion was mentioned, we normally don’t ask such questions. It’s often thought of as very personal matter aside from work.”

As Vivier mentioned, don’t be fooled by the Hollywood stereotype of the quiet, somewhat stoic and even mysterious Asian community. You’ll be surprised at how curious and talkative Korean people are when it comes to a newcomer in the community. Actually, be prepared to be bombarded with loads of questions, from age to your love life, family, weekend schedule, taste in wine, your area of studies, to all kinds of personal questions….and of course, the follow-up question “why” to all your answers.

Lost in the Pool of Formal and Informal Korean

“I had very good reasons to be confident about my Korean. I have a bachelor’s degree in Korean and studied at Hongik University in Seoul as an exchange student for a year. Well, little did I know, that office vocabulary was a whole new chapter to learn, along with distinguishing between formal and informal language use.”

There are many obstacles to fully comprehending Korean that you can’t learn just from textbooks and language classes. First and foremost, Koreans generally speak very fast. Second, in office, there are multiple job titles that almost always must be followed when addressing any coworker. To name a few, are daeri, sajag, busajang, chajang, sawon, and so on. But most importantly, you have to be careful with how you form your sentences. In Korea, there are two ways to speak—formal and informal—and foreigners often make mistakes in distinguishing which to use at the appropriate situations or people.

However, no worries. Vivier has indeed made such mistakes. Still, other coworkers have happily helped or taught Vivier the correct expressions afterwards.

Enjoy the Cozy Family Culture at Work

“Are you all friends?”

That’s the question Vivier asked her coworkers when she saw them enjoying get-togethers after work, having meetings, going to cheer for the same soccer teams, hiking, crying, laughing…activities that are definitely not related to work.

You may be surprised at how much involved coworkers are to each other’s lives. Though they spend all day together at the office, aside from work, they often do many activities together. Vivier mentioned that working in Korea has not only given her a valuable work experience, but a sense of ‘togetherness’ with the fellow coworkers. She also added by saying that they weren’t just coworkers, but felt more like a family. There is a strong communal bond in Korean office life.

The Amazing Taste of Korea from Vivier

Sundae 순대

“It’s Korean sausage made of beef or pork, dang-myun(a type of Korean noodle), and chopped vegetables stuffed in pig’s intestine. It almost looks like salami sausage, Honey!”

That’s how I explained Sundae to my boyfriend back home, which probably don’t sound all that appetizing by the description. Nonetheless, Sundae was indeed my favorite Korean dish while my stay in Korea. Its squishy, wiggly, and soft texture in dipped salted shrimp is a wonder that you must try.

Samgyetang 삼계탕

Korea marks the days that starts and ends Summer, the former called “Chobok,” and the latter, “Malbok.” During this summer season, Koreans have special dishes, the most famous being Samgyetang. It’s actually just a soup with ginseng and various ingredients stuffed inside the chicken. What’s special though, is that Koreans thought it was a good idea to “win” summer/or Heat, by eating a boiling hot soup during the hottest days of the year.

“Yes, I feel totally cooled down!” is a phrase you’ll hear often from Koreans after finishing the soup, while soaked in sweat.