Hyundai Steel impresses European buyers at World Rally Championship in Portugal
Officials from Hyundai Steel and the company’s European clients pose during Customers Day at the Crowne Plaza Porto in Portugal, held alongside the World Rally Championship from May 16 to 18. Courtesy of Hyundai Steel
Korea’s leading steelmaker Hyundai Steel made a strong impression on its European clients at the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Portugal earlier this month, where vehicles built with its steel raced through challenging rally stages.
Hyundai Steel invited its European clients to the WRC Service Park in Matosinhos, northern Portugal, to watch the rally together from May 16 to 18. The company spotlighted racing cars featuring its logo, emphasizing that they were built using Hyundai Steel products.
As part of its Customers Day event, Hyundai Steel also hosted a conference where it showcased its globally recognized steel manufacturing capabilities to its European clients. The company provided insights into its production of automotive steel plates and shared updates on its ongoing electric arc furnace construction project in the United States. It also highlighted its dual production system that combines electric and blast furnaces, and emphasized the strong evaluations its low-carbon steel products have received.
Hyundai Steel informed its clients that it has established a new operational system designed to respond swiftly to rapidly evolving global trade barriers, while also strengthening its capability to deliver customized technological solutions.
According to Hyundai Steel, its European clients expressed that the company “deeply impressed” them and they reaffirmed their trust in its technologies and brand. One client remarked that attending the rally and engaging with Hyundai Steel representatives “allowed him to witness firsthand the technologies behind the company’s automotive steel plates and low-carbon steel products,” further motivating him to strengthen his company’s partnership with the Korean steelmaker.
One of the Customers Day organizers from Hyundai Steel said the event “effectively showcased the company’s globally recognized technological competitiveness and further solidified its partnership with European clients.”
Hyundai Steel has been promoting its products and brand through global rally events since 2015, when it began sponsoring Hyundai Motorsport — a Hyundai Group subsidiary established in 2012 to test Hyundai vehicles in international motorsport competitions. The steelmaker said it aims to elevate its brand recognition further by supplying steel for Genesis vehicles set to compete in Le Mans in 2026.