Posco’s furnace No. 4 ready to resume operation

Posco Group CEO Chang In-wha (eighth from left) and company and government officials attend a ceremony celebrating the completion of the third maintenance work of the blast furnace No. 4 at the steel giant’s steel mill in Pohang, North Gyeonsang Province, on April 29. (Posco)

Posco Group said Thursday that it was ready to resume the operation of its blast furnace No. 4 in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, at the end of June after months of refurbishment work.

A blast furnace usually undergoes maintenance every 15 years, during which its operation is suspended to undergo thorough performance and safety checkups and facility upgrades.

The No. 4 furnace, completed in 1981, underwent refurbishments in 1994 and 2010. The current third refurbishment started on Feb. 23 to improve the performance of the production system and enhance safety. A smart furnace system based on big data and artificial intelligence has also been implemented.

Posco has invested about 530 billion won ($38.87 million) over the past decades of maintenance work. The company said the whole process will contribute to boosting the local economy and creating new jobs.

On April 29, the company held a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the third maintenance work, with its top executives in attendance.

"After the third maintenance work, the blast furnace No. 4 will once again resonate vigorously. Moving forward, we will remain committed to gathering trust from local communities and the public through continued development and growth," Posco Group Chairman Chang In-wha said during the event.

By Kim Jun-hong(hongie@heraldcorp.com)