POSCO Holds Secondary Refractory Lining Repair for No. 4 Blast Furnace at Gwangyang Steelworks

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[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] POSCO announced on the 18th that it held a brick engraving ceremony at the site of the second repair of the Gwangyang No. 4 Blast Furnace, inscribing words on refractory bricks to pray for the successful completion of the construction and stable operation of the three main facilities.

The event, held inside the main body of Gwangyang Steelworks No. 4 Blast Furnace, was attended by about 16 POSCO executives including Kim Hak-dong, Vice Chairman and CEO of POSCO; Jung Tak, Head of Marketing Headquarters; Lee Si-woo, Head of Production Technology Headquarters; Kim Ji-yong, Head of Safety and Environment Headquarters; Lee Jin-su, Gwangyang Steelworks Director; as well as construction and supplier representatives such as Han Sung-hee, President of POSCO E&C, and Min Kyung-jun, President of POSCO Chemical.

Gwangyang No. 4 Blast Furnace, which first ignited in 1992 and underwent its first repair in 2009, is POSCO’s first ultra-large blast furnace with a capacity of 5,500㎥. This current improvement project is significant as it marks the first time the company has repaired its first ultra-large blast furnace.

On February 11, POSCO began the repair work by extinguishing the fire of Gwangyang No. 4 Blast Furnace, which had continuously produced molten iron for about 12 years and 6 months since the first repair, and started rebuilding the refractory lining.

During the approximately 120-day construction period, the refractory lining and cooling facilities will be renewed, and the furnace is scheduled to be reignited on June 11, marking the start of full-scale restart.

The refractory bricks prepared for the engraving ceremony were inscribed with 17 phrases including ‘企業市民’ (Corporate Citizen), ‘精誠’ (Sincerity), ‘精髓’ (Essence), ‘一心’ (One Mind), ‘安全’ (Safety), and ‘最高’ (Best), expressing hopes that based on the safe and successful completion of this repair, POSCO as a corporate citizen will continue to grow as a 100-year company.

In his encouragement speech, POSCO Vice Chairman and CEO Kim Hak-dong said, “The blast furnace is the symbol and backbone of the steelworks. The competitiveness of the blast furnace is the competitiveness of the steelworks.” He added, “I ask everyone to unite and safely complete the remaining construction so that all the wishes inscribed on the bricks will be realized and Gwangyang No. 4 Blast Furnace can be reborn as a world-class, premium blast furnace with the best competitiveness.”

Meanwhile, Gwangyang No. 4 Blast Furnace, POSCO’s first ultra-large blast furnace, has played a pivotal role in the growth of Gwangyang Steelworks into the world’s top automotive steel plate specialized steelworks by producing a cumulative total of 57.4 million tons of hot metal, the highest ever, over about 12 years and 6 months since its first repair in 2009.

Gwangyang = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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