POSCO Future M's employees display the awards from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Employment and Labor at the company's plant in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, Jan. 3. Courtesy of POSCO Future M

POSCO Future M said Monday that it recently received awards from the trade, environment and labor ministries for its efforts to promote exports, protect the environment and prevent workplace accidents.

According to the battery materials producer, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy recognized the company's cathode materials plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, for improving its production capacity and starting outbound shipments earlier than planned.

“After beginning the operation of the Pohang cathode materials plant last year, we have improved its capacity and product quality through a project to improve the manufacturing process,” a POSCO Future M official said.

“Given the earlier-than-planned stabilization of yield at the Pohang NCA cathode materials plant built last year, we also contributed to exports by starting the factory's operation last October, three months earlier than initially planned.”

POSCO Future M's employees display the award from the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy at the company's plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Courtesy of POSCO Future M

The prizes from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Employment and Labor were given to POSCO Future M's cathode materials plant in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province.

“When we built a wastewater treatment facility in the factory, we communicated closely with the environment ministry, contributing to the government's establishment of standard environmental policies and being recognized for the development of magnesium hydroxide used to purify air and water,” the company official said.

To enhance workplace safety, POSCO Future M has introduced short-form videos that outline necessary safety measures at various locations. Workers can access these videos by scanning QR codes placed at each spot.

It added that a ball-shaped mobile gas detector named Smart Safety Ball has reduced the risk of working inside enclosed spaces.

The device was developed in 2021 by the company's sister steelmaker, POSCO, for workers to detect the density of gas inside enclosed spaces and to send real-time data to control rooms by using smartphones.