POSCO to deploy more industrial robots at workplaces

POSCO Group, which owns South Korea’s largest steelmaker, plans to deploy more industrial robots at its factories to improve productivity and ensure workplace safety.

POSCO ICT Co., the information technology system unit of the steel giant, said on Thursday it has launched a groupwide robot technology council to research and explore ways to use more robots in the group’s core business areas such as steel mills, raw material production and logistics.

The council consists of experts and executives from the POSCO Robot Solution Research Center, POSCO Holdings Industry-Academic Cooperation Center, RIST Convergence Innovation Research Institute, and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH).

The council will regularly convene to share ideas on expanding the use of robots at high-risk, high-intensity workplaces as part of the group’s push to advance its smart factory system, the company said.

While the council will play the leading role in working out business strategy and promoting R&D and pilot projects, POSCO ICT is tasked with developing robot technologies and handling overall robot automation at work sites, it said.

POSCO Robot Solution Research Center is in charge of identifying sites where industrial robots are needed and developing solutions.

POSCO Holdings Inc., the investment holding company of the steel giant, will seek cooperative ties with startups and other partners to jointly work on the group’s robot projects.

POSCO, the world’s sixth-largest steelmaker, in March turned into a holding company structure to actively seek M&A opportunities and diversity into non-steel businesses, including robotics and eco-friendly, high-valued raw materials.

Write to Ji-Eun Jeong at jeong@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.