【Breaking News】POSCO Steel Decides to Produce Graphite Electrodes In-House

According to overseas market reports, POSCO Future M, a supplier of battery materials and steel manufacturing equipment in South Korea, announced on Thursday that it has developed graphite electrode manufacturing technology. This makes it the first Korean company to master this technology, successfully producing 300mm ultra-high-power (UHP) graphite electrodes.

These electrodes are critical components in steelmaking. South Korea imports 30,000 tons of graphite electrodes annually, all sourced from China, Japan, and India. POSCO Future M's breakthrough is expected to strengthen the nation's steel supply chain. Driven by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) mandates, demand for electric arc furnace (EAF) graphite electrodes is rising. The company plans to collaborate with POSCO's steel subsidiary to commercialize the electrodes, following the completion of an EAF at its Gwangyang Steelworks earlier this year.

Market analysts highlight that this development reflects POSCO's confidence in EAF steel's future and its commitment to supply chain stability. However, full industrial-scale production is estimated to take 4-5 years. While POSCO's subsidiary PMC can address raw material concerns with needle coke, larger electrodes (650-700mm) still require imports of petroleum-based needle coke.

Currently, China's UHP600 graphite electrode exports to South Korea are priced at RMB 17,500-18,000.

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