POSCO Launches Customized Support for SMEs Utilizing Specialized Expertise

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] POSCO has decided to utilize its in-house expertise to provide customized support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

On the 17th, POSCO held a launch ceremony for the 'Win-Win Growth Support Group' at the headquarters of Shinil Intec in Pohang, attended by representatives from POSCO and seven SMEs including Dongju Industry, Daeyang Metal, Shinil Intec, Simpack Industry, IEN Hanchang, Intel Steel, and JU Korea.

POSCO recognized that many SMEs face difficulties in securing new personnel and developing technology, and that their needs for strengthening competitiveness vary. Therefore, POSCO decided to operate the Win-Win Growth Support Group to provide tailored support addressing the challenges faced by these companies.

At the launch ceremony, Lee Joo-tae, Head of the Purchasing and Investment Division, said, "Through the activities of the Win-Win Growth Support Group, we hope to help SMEs overcome their current difficulties and take a step forward," adding, "We will derive optimal solutions to ensure highly effective consulting based on empathy and collaboration with SMEs."

POSCO expects that the launch of the Win-Win Growth Support Group will create a virtuous cycle where cost reduction, quality improvement, and productivity enhancement for SMEs will lead to increased competitiveness of the supply chain, including POSCO.

The consulting support areas of the POSCO Win-Win Growth Support Group are broadly divided into four categories: smart factory construction, ESG (environment, social, governance) issue resolution, equipment and energy efficiency, and introduction of future new technologies. The support group is composed of personnel with professional qualifications and an average of over 25 years of work experience. They plan to examine the problems of target SMEs from the ground up, identify causes, and collaboratively devise improvement measures.

As a detailed support plan, POSCO will integrate IT technologies such as AI and big data into overall SME operations to establish a smart work foundation and provide related training. Additionally, POSCO plans to analyze the root causes of ESG issues, which have recently become a major topic in corporate management but are difficult for SMEs to resolve independently, and derive improvement measures. Furthermore, POSCO will utilize its specialized diagnostic equipment to detect signs of equipment failure and energy waste, providing an optimal working environment. It will also support the application of POSCO’s technology to SME sites for technological innovation and process improvement.

In January, POSCO received recommendations for 28 companies wishing to participate in consulting from related departments in charge of purchasing and sales, the Korea Federation of SMEs, and local governments, and selected 14 companies as final support targets. POSCO plans to conduct consulting for seven companies in the first half of the year and seven companies in the second half.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.