POMIA started construction work in Mar. 2008, which was completed in May 2009. It was established to provide a one-stop system to carry out research, experimentation and manufacturing together in a building with four stories above and one underground. An underground pathway connects POMIA to POSTECH’s GIFT, the only steel graduate school in the world, so as to share human resources and equipment between both institutes, thus providing the infrastructure necessary to develop into the Mecca of world class technology for the steel industry. Also, its environment is optimized for joint work between industry and the R&D center by building practical spaces including seminar rooms, lounges, a sleeping room, and a big conference room accommodating one hundred people.
POMIA will play an important role the center for new technology development, education, information, equipment support, and the construction of network systems. On top of that, it plans to lead the way for advancing the diversification of the business sector needed to develop high value-added products such as core component development for hydrogen fuel cells, considered as a new business market.
The construction of POMIA was selected as a local revolutionary development program by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy in August of 2009 and was supported by local companies including POSCO as well as North Gyeongbuk Province, Pohang City, and POSTECH, with working expenses of 20.6 billion won.
