POSCO to Start Commercial Production of World Widest Mg Plate for Vehicles

POSCO of South Korea plans to start commercial production of magnesium plate with world largest width of 2,000 millimeters in March 2013. POSCO tries to supply the product to South Korean major automakers such as Hyundai Motor, GM Korea and Renault Samsung Motors as an automotive component material. As for automotive magnesium seat frame that POSCO has developed, the firm recently started technical talks with several automakers to supply the product for cars exported to Europe from South Korea.

POSCO has advanced technical development to cast and roll wide magnesium plate in collaboration with the R&D institute subsidiary RIST. They succeeded in production of magnesium plate with 1,500 mm width at the pilot plant. Test production of magnesium plate with 2,000 mm width is expected to start at the pilot plant in July 2012.

POSCO is presently constructing a new casting factory for wide magnesium plate inside the existent magnesium plate plant in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. The casting factory is scheduled to complete in August 2012 with initial output capacity at 10,000 tonnes per year.

Meanwhile, POSCO finished development of magnesium front seat frame for vehicles. The firm advances the quality improvement along each Korean automaker’s specs for commercialization. POSCO tries to complete development of magnesium rear seat frame by March 2013. The firm expects for large potential demand in European car market where fuel efficiency requirements are strengthened.