Posco Steeleon joins project to replace aging slate roofs in Busan's Yeongdo-gu

Posco Steeleon will take part in a residential improvement project in Busan's Yeongdo-gu that removes aging slate roofs and replaces them with a color steel sheet the company developed in-house. The product is designed to reduce noise and heat without the sponge-type backing material typically bonded to the underside of conventional steel sheets.

Posco Steeleon announced Tuesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Busan Environmental Corp., Yeongdo-gu and Busan Bank on Monday at Busan Environmental Corp. headquarters for the "Our Neighborhood Slate Zero-Zone" project.

The initiative is a public-private partnership to remove and replace deteriorated slate roofs remaining in Yeongdo-gu. Busan Environmental Corp., Yeongdo-gu and Busan Bank are participating alongside Posco Steeleon, which will supply the specialized color steel sheet needed for the roof replacements.

The product features an improved coating method applied to the underside of the color steel sheet. Posco Steeleon focused on securing sound insulation and thermal performance while eliminating the foam-attachment step that had been cited as a drawback of conventional roofing materials.

Standard color steel sheet roofing typically bonds a polyethylene foam layer to the back of the sheet to dampen rain noise and improve insulation. However, the adhesive can weaken over time, the foam can deteriorate, and the aging process can generate dust and waste.

Posco Steeleon replaced that approach by engineering a microscopic air layer into the coating process on the steel sheet's underside, which reduces noise and suppresses heat transfer. Simplifying the production process also addresses the adhesion-degradation problem associated with conventional foam-backed products, the company said.

Fire resistance and long-term durability were also factored into the design. The product was engineered with heat resistance and fire safety in mind, and the improved bonding stability of the back coating supports a 10-year delamination warranty. The company expects the design to lower long-term maintenance costs by reducing the need for re-roofing work and waste disposal.

"This project — which cuts environmental impact by reducing re-roofing and waste generation while contributing to residents' health, safety and lower housing costs — is the result of putting Posco Steeleon's ESG management values into practice through our products and on the ground," President and CEO Cheon Si-yeol said. "We will continue our research and development based on the social value of healthy and safe living environments."

Posco Steeleon is a Posco Group subsidiary specializing in surface-treated steel sheet, producing galvanized and color steel sheet used in automobiles, home appliances, construction and industrial materials. Its annual production and sales capacity for surface-treated steel sheet stands at about 1 million tons.

Meanwhile, Posco Steeleon posted consolidated sales of 298.2 billion won ($217 million) and operating profit of 9.6 billion won in the second quarter of this year, up 5.0 percent and 74.5 percent, respectively, from the same period a year earlier.