Jang In-hwa "Finding Breakthroughs Through Innovative Technology Development... Turning Crisis into Opportunity"

POSCO Group, '2024 Tech Forum'
1,200 Technical Employees Participate

POSCO Group held the '2024 Tech Forum' at POSTECH on the 6th to share major technology development achievements. This year's 36th forum was held face-to-face for the first time in five years since COVID-19, bringing together the group's technology personnel in one place to strengthen unity following the establishment of the holding company.

About 1,200 attendees participated, including POSCO Group Chairman Jang In-hwa, POSCO President Lee Si-woo, POSCO Holdings Chief Technology Officer Kim Ki-soo, POSCO E&C President Jeon Jung-sun, POSCO Future M President Yoo Byung-ok, and other key group company representatives and technology field executives and employees.

At the 2024 POSCO Group Tech Forum held at POSTECH on the 6th, Jang In-hwa, Chairman of POSCO Group, is delivering the opening address. (Provided by POSCO Group)

Chairman Jang said, "POSCO Group has always found breakthroughs through innovative technology development," adding, "Although the company currently faces many challenges such as global uncertainties and chasms, we will turn crises into opportunities through innovation aimed at becoming a top-tier company."

As part of strengthening cooperation with raw material suppliers, Simon Parry, Carbon Neutrality Officer of Rio Tinto Australia, delivered a keynote speech on the topic of 'Global Raw Material Companies' Strategies for Carbon Neutrality and Cooperation Plans with Steelmakers.'

Additionally, the 'POSCO Technology Awards' were presented to employees who achieved technology development results through collaboration among customers, engineers, researchers, and small and medium-sized enterprises. This year, there were 12 awards in total, including the Innovation Award, Creativity Award, Leap Award, and Challenge Award. Deputy Manager Kim Kwan-hyung of the Gwangyang Steelmaking Department received the first prize on behalf of the winners for the 'Digital Twin-based Converter One Pouch Operation Technology.'

This year, the 'Challenge Award' was newly established to encourage technology development by engineers and researchers with short tenure. Three projects were selected, including the 'Anwoollim Floor Structure Technology for Strengthening The Sharp Brand' and the unique data platform 'HR Lab' built by Muhammad Rabib, an employee of the Indonesian subsidiary Krakatau POSCO.

At the forum venue, key technologies and achievements related to the group's core strategy of digital transformation (DX) were exhibited, including next-generation electric vehicle bodies, hydrogen reduction steelmaking technology (HyREX), Argentina brine lithium production processes, and recycling technologies in the steel and secondary battery raw material sectors.

Meanwhile, POSCO Group plans to operate 26 technical sessions over two days. This event gathers employees from the field to executives in one place to seek practical technological solutions. Expert discussions will be held to secure ultra-competitive technological capabilities in low-carbon steel (HyREX, hydrogen reduction steelmaking) and secondary battery raw materials (recycling).