POSCO, Google chiefs seeking stronger ties

POSCO CEO Chung Joon-yang speaks to Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt in the United States during a video conference at the steelmaker’s headquarters in southern Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of POSCO

By Yi Whan-woo

POSCO CEO Chung Joon-yang and Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt held a one-to-one video conference Tuesday to strengthen business ties, from each firm’s headquarters in Korea and the United States.

The chiefs of the world’s fourth-largest steel maker and the Internet giant had their discussion via Hangouts, a free video chat service offered by Google.

POSCO launched a Smart Work Place (SWP) system powered by Google Apps and Google Search Appliance in December 2012. The cutting-edge system interconnects more than 20,000 employees at the steel maker, enabling more efficient communication through sharing information and ideas using tools such as Gmail, Calendar, Hangouts and shared documents on Google Drive.

“Our SWP using Google products has transformed the working system and company culture of POSCO in an innovative way,” Chung told Schmidt from the firm’s headquarters in southern Seoul.

The steel maker said more than 14,000 ideas had been shared among workers each month and the average time for decision-making at meetings has been reduced by 63 percent since it launched the SWP. It added the costs for business trips to the firm’s plants in provincial regions have been reduced by 30 percent.

POSCO employees said they find it convenient to communicate with their colleagues using smartphones or computers, regardless of time and place, using the SWP.

This is the first time Chung has talked with Schmidt since they met at Google’s headquarters in California in April 2012 to discuss the system.