POSCO Advances 94% in Rolling Process Drainage... Focused Recovery System

On the 8th, mud accumulated by Typhoon Hinnamnor still remains uncleared in the slab yard of POSCO Pohang Steelworks' 2nd Heavy Plate Plant in Nam-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongbuk.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] POSCO, which suffered damage from Typhoon 'Hinnamnor,' is focusing on restoring the rolling process.

According to POSCO Pohang Steelworks, Blast Furnace No. 3 resumed operation sequentially on the 10th, followed by Blast Furnaces No. 4 and No. 2 on the 12th, and some steelmaking processes have restarted, allowing semi-finished steel products to be produced normally. Electricity supply to all factories within the steelworks is expected to be restored by the end of next week at the earliest.

In particular, the rolling line located near Naengcheon, which was directly hit by flooding damage, is undergoing drainage and mud removal operations. As of this date, drainage work is 94% complete, and power supply has been restored by 37%.

The rolling line is focusing on removing accumulated soil, mud, and contaminants from the factory floor and underground facilities, while simultaneously deploying maintenance personnel intensively to carry out equipment cleaning, drying, and parts repair and replacement.

A POSCO official stated, "We believe that promptly dredging the Naengcheon riverbed and removing unnecessary structures to reorganize the river will structurally prevent Naengcheon flooding. We will actively cooperate with Pohang City to reorganize Naengcheon in preparation for future typhoons and heavy rains."

During the holiday period, 30,000 people at Pohang Steelworks devoted their full efforts to recovery, and even now, with support from civilian, government, and military sectors, the entire company is concentrating its capabilities 24/7 to normalize operations as soon as possible.

They plan to complete drainage and mud removal work quickly, comprehensively assess the damage situation, and by as early as this week, establish and announce the overall damage estimate and the recovery and operation plan for the rolling mill.

After the water receded from the underground facilities of the rolling line flooded by the Naengcheon overflow, POSCO employees are removing mud and silt.

POSCO recognizes that prolonged recovery efforts may weaken safety awareness and increase potential risks, so it has appointed responsible persons for each work unit to strengthen safety management and reduce safety hazards.

Additionally, POSCO, operating an emergency shipment task force, is communicating individually with customers to stabilize domestic steel supply and minimize customer damage. They are rapidly shipping existing inventory, adjusting repair schedules, and converting Gwangyang Steelworks to a maximum production system, while prioritizing urgent customer orders through production shifts at Gwangyang Steelworks.

A POSCO official said, "We deeply appreciate the public's condolences and support for the flood damage, and based on the full support from civilian, government, and military sectors, all employees will unite as one to overcome this unprecedented crisis."

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