JFE Steel is a steelmaker engaged in the total steel-making process, taking iron ore raw material and turning it into final products. JFE Steel satisfies customers by producing steel under a corporate philosophy of "contributing to society with the world's most innovative technology." The company also contributes to environmental protection by developing reduced-impact ironmaking processes and high-performance steel materials.

Iron is a wonderfully hard and strong material that can be processed flexibly for use in diverse applications, which is why it has been present in human civilization for millennia.

In the industrial revolution, iron played a vital role in key fields such as railroads, ships, construction and manufacturing. Steam engines and other power devices made with iron drove the development of modern civilization. In the 20th century, the widespread popularization of automobiles and consumer appliances would not have been possible without iron. Moreover, iron is highly recyclable and can be reused in any form over and over.

Currently accounting for approximately 90% of all metal products, iron underpins virtually every industry and--either directly or indirectly--is part of almost all aspects of our everyday lives.

Iron's association with ancient civilization can obscure the fact that it has evolved into an advanced material produced with cutting-edge technologies. Nonstop research and development and continuously improving production technologies are creating highly advanced steel products in response to industry's insatiable demand for ever-stronger and more processable materials. Continued technological innovation is expected to discover still-hidden potential within steel to meet increasingly stringent performance and environmental demands.

Going forward, iron's perpetual evolution will play a role in shaping our future.