In cooperation with the Korean steel manufacturer Posco, Siemens has developed a more economical and environmentally friendly method for the hot metal production in a steel mill. The so-called Finex process uses ore fines and coal directly and eliminates the labor- and energy-intensive process steps of sintering and coke-making of the blast furnace route which is the current state of the art technology. The result is an immense reduction in pollutant emissions and increased economic efficiency. The first large-scale plant is already in operation in South Korea.