POSCO

Recently, business environment is moving from individual corporate level of competition to the one between business ecosystems, which increases the importance of strategic partnership with small- and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) to enhance competitiveness.
POSCO integrated its diversified efforts for win-win cooperation between large enterprises and smaller companies into the company-wide system while it established Inter-corporate Coordination in charge of support for the SMEs in order to strengthen the future partnership with the SMEs. POSCO is also operate Inter-corporate Coordination Committee to enhance and expand the POSCO group-wide cooperation efforts, and SME Consulting Center on the company website to reflect the problems of the SME business partners in the company policy.
POSCO¡¯s win-win cooperation efforts have recognized as a leading example for cooperation between large and smaller companies. POSCO won the President Award of¡ºDiscussion of Inter-corporate Coordination between Large and Smaller Companies¡», which was presided by the president and Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit in 2006.
POSCO continued to build upon its win-win cooperation projects as concentrating on technological support and education. We will also seek out mutual growth by bolstering the competitiveness of SMEs.

SME Patent Consulting Center: It is intended to provide SMEs with easier and more convenient excess to POSCO patents and to energize their creative activities. The Center is actively supporting technology transfer, patents info service, and patent training to foster the independent technology development of SMEs. At each regional center in Pohang and Gwangyang, contacts for consultation via call, mail, e-mail, or visitation is available. The centers provided the cyber patents training twice and total 25 times of patents consultation including 8 patent info sessions and 15 times of technology transfer consulting in 2006.

Activation of technology transfer of POSCO patents : POSCO do not exercise the patent right to our suppliers on POSCO patents, patents on a new device, design right. The suppliers who want to use POSCO technologies may contact the patent consulting center or inquire the patent rights on steel-N.com and send an application via e-mail. If the applied technology is POSCO supply technology, they can use the technology without fee. As of the end of 2006, we maintained 210 technology transfer contracts with 140 companies.

Support for practical application of POSCO patented technology : As for the POSCO patented technology that require additional process for practical application, we review the support possibility and run free study and tests in the company or outside research organization.

Full support for patent costs when applying for joint patent : POSCO will pay for the full cost that is needed to apply, register, and maintain the patent right, which is jointly developed with a SME. In 2006, we applied for 10 joint patents with 7 SMEs.

In addition, POSCO is actively participating in the government-initiated sleeping patents activation project and providing 120 sleeping patents. We have been conducting various programs to support the technology improvement of SMEs including promotion of technology transfer through 11 specialized institutions.

SME Vocational Training Consortium

Techno Partnership (Technology transfer program customized for SMEs)

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