POSCO has partnered with Franke, Europe's largest system kitchen manufacturer, to launch premium stainless steel sinks. This collaboration is part of an effort to meet material demand in line with the global carbon neutrality trend and to expand its portfolio of low-carbon premium products in the European market.
This past June, POSCO signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Franke in Verona, Italy, to supply materials for the 'premium stainless steel sinks.' Under the agreement, POSCO will supply high-value-added stainless steel to Franke, which will apply it to kitchen sinks and its premium kitchen product lines. A distinctive feature of the new products is that they are made from stainless steel developed in-house by POSCO (based on STS 304 cold-rolled), with the scrap usage ratio raised to over 90% and produced using self-generated renewable energy such as solar power at the steelworks. As a result, the products have been recognized for achieving a carbon emission reduction of up to 60% compared to conventional products. POSCO also obtained Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) certification for the products from TUV SUD, a German third-party certification body, following both online and on-site audits. This is a key indicator of compliance with global carbon reduction standards and is expected to have a positive effect on securing customer trust in the European market.
Filippo Maltempi, Executive in charge of Purchasing and Development at Franke, said, "Since our first transaction with POSCO in 2012, we have been satisfied with the high quality of their products and have expanded our business with them, and POSCO has now become our largest stainless steel supplier," adding, "This partnership has further strengthened the sustainability of our products." Lee Kyung-jin, Head of Stainless Steel Marketing at POSCO, said, "Building on our partnership with Franke, we plan to take the lead in carbon reduction across global markets, including Europe, and to expand into a variety of industries beyond kitchen sinks, such as home appliances and construction."
Meanwhile, Franke is a global company headquartered in Switzerland that provides residential and commercial solutions such as kitchen and bathroom systems and coffee machines, primarily in Europe. Through this collaboration, Franke plans to strengthen its ESG management while accelerating the eco-friendly transition of its premium product lines. 054-220-0114