Achieves Both Environmental Protection and Cost Reduction with “Slastic” Technology Combining Steelmaking Byproducts and Waste Plastics
EOMTech, a POSCO in-house venture company, has successfully developed an innovative railway sleeper using steelmaking byproduct slag and waste plastics. This development is drawing attention as a case that simultaneously addresses industrial waste recycling and railway infrastructure improvement.
EOMTech was founded in 2019 through POSCO’s first in-house venture program. Under the leadership of CEO Young-jun Park, the company developed a composite material called “Slastic.” Railway sleepers are critical structural components that support rails, and EOMTech achieved cost reductions by replacing part of the expensive glass fiber materials used in conventional sleepers with Slastic.
The development process was not without challenges. According to EOMTech officials, initial tests failed under the extreme high-temperature and heavy-load conditions of steel plant environments. However, through continuous technical collaboration with POSCO, the company redesigned the sleepers and continued R&D efforts, ultimately succeeding in developing the Slastic composite material. The technology is now actively applied at railway sites within POSCO’s Pohang Steelworks.
“Through the development of Slastic sleepers using steelmaking byproduct slag and waste plastics, EOMTech is helping to build a sustainable future,” said CEO Young-jun Park. He added, “Based on this technological capability, we plan to expand into a wider range of product developments going forward.”
The most notable feature of this innovation is its environmental value. Slastic sleepers are 100% recyclable, contributing to a virtuous cycle of resource circulation. Developed through POSCO’s Performance-Sharing System, the project is being recognized for achieving both environmental improvement and cost reduction at the same time…
