POSCO Wins Gold Award for Stainless Steel New Technology at International Stainless Steel Forum

Development of High-Performance Ferritic Steel '430RE'
Winner of ISSF-26 Technology Division Grand Prize
Improved Machinability and Weld Corrosion Resistance Compared to Existing Steel Grades
Meets Recent Trends of Large Home Appliances

Stainless steel cold-rolled coil products produced at POSCO Pohang Steelworks. Photo by POSCO

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] POSCO won the Gold Award in the technology category at the 26th International Stainless Steel Forum Conference (ISSF-26) organized by the International Stainless Steel Association.

The technology that won the Gold Award this time is the manufacturing technology of high-performance ferritic stainless steel '430RE.' It was selected as the best stainless steel technology development case this year, gaining global recognition for POSCO's technological capabilities.

Recently, as home appliance companies have been enlarging washing machines and dryers, improving the formability of the drum bottom surface and reducing surface stripe defects have become important.

Additionally, to save water and electricity during dehydration, there is a demand to enhance the high-speed rotation performance of the drum. Therefore, welding methods with superior bonding strength are preferred over the method of folding and compressing sheets when connecting the drum center.

Accordingly, POSCO developed the specialized steel grade 430RE, which improves formability, aging resistance, and weld corrosion resistance compared to existing steel grades, and plans to expand supply not only to domestic home appliance companies but also overseas.

Jung Tak, CEO of POSCO (Head of Marketing Division), said, "Our proactive response to customer demands and long-term collaboration in developing the steel grade were highly evaluated," adding, "We will continue to provide solutions for product development that customers need."