POSCO to Enter Dongkuk Steel’s New Slab Plant in Brazil

POSCO announced on Friday the board members decided to make 20% investment in a slab plant of Dongkuk Steel in Brazil. POSCO aims to participate in Dongkuk steel project to enter growing Brazilian steel market and secure stable supply base of slabs to US steel makers. POSCO will discuss on details of the plant with Dongkuk and Vale and make a final decision of investment.

The project is led by CSP, a joint venture 51% controlled by Dongkuk Steel and 49% by Vale. Land development is scheduled to start in early 2011 to construct an integrated slab steel plant with capacity of approximately 3 million tonnes per year in Ceara, Brazil. The construction will complete in 2014.

Dongkuk has expected for participation of major steel makers in the project. POSCO carried out feasibility study for the project with POSCO E&C during the period from December 2009 to May 2010. POSCO eyes partnership enhancement with Vale and Dongkuk.

JFE Steel maintains the plan to enter the project if the integrated steel plant will have the capacity of 6 million tonnes per year. JFE Steel continues to examine the participation.