Hyundai Steel Co. holds a session to ramp up customer marketing activities to promote earthquake-proof steel products.

Hyundai Steel Co. is reinforcing customer marketing activities to cope with growing demand for the earthquake-proof steel products. As public concern over the safety of structures is mounting in the wake of the occurrence of recent earthquakes, and regulations on earthquake-resistant designs are getting more stringent, the earthquake-proof product market for architectural structures is expected to be expanded. 

The steelmaker has seen sales for earthquake-proof products rise in recent years. In 2011, Hyundai Steel sold 80,000 tons of H-Section for architectural structures (SHN). Hyundai Steel, which saw SHN sales surge to 590,000 tons last year, is maintaining steady growth. The steelmaker aims to sell more than about 600,000 tons this year. Demand for earthquake-proof steel reinforcements, which made their debut in a multi-unit dwelling in Siheung Baegok, being built by LH Corp., is expanding. 

Hyundai Steel is promoting activities to expand its customer base in order to aggressively publicize the need for the use of earthquake-proof steel products by introducing application cases on construction. It’s also publicize the performances of the items to customer companies, architectural designers, associations, and related business officials. The steelmaker does not rest on its laurels as a leader of the conventional earthquake-proof SHN market. The company plans to secure leadership in the earthquake-proof steel rebar market by reinforcing customer promotion activities. As a revision of Korean Industrial Standards, introducing a standard for earthquake-proof reinforcing bars went into force last September. Hyundai Steel acquired a KS certification and established a production system to meet a rising demand for earthquake-proof reinforcing bars. 

The government’s reinforcing of policies on earthquake-proof design is expected to maintain a steady rise in the demand for earthquake-proof steel products. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) is seeking to submit a bill to revise enforcement decrees of the Act on Architectural Structure, which would be more stringent. All newly built structures would be required to have earthquake-proof design regardless floors and size. Currently, structures with two floors or more, or those with 200 sq. meters or more in floor space, (other than houses) are required to have earthquake-proof design.

Amid rising public concern over the safety of structures, Hyundai Steel hosted an earthquake-proof steel product brand contest targeting all people early this year. The steelmaker is making preparations for the launch of an earthquake-proof steel product brand based on the outcomes of the contest. Hyundai Steel plans to publicize the important of the safety of structures as a steel industry leader and raise the value of structures built with earthquake-proof steel products in which people can reside in a safe fashion by aggressively making a pitch for earthquake-proof steel products. 

A view of earthquake-proof steel products, manufactured by Hyundai Steel. (Photos: Hyundai Steel)