Steel Mills

AK Steel Ashland Furnace Back in Production
Written by Sandy Williams
December 6, 2014
AK Steel has completed the reline of the blast furnace hearth at its Ashland, Kentucky Works and the furnace is back in full production. The maintenance and reline, which took 27 days, was moved up from 2015 to correct issues that occurred with the furnace earlier this year.
AK Steel reports that the furnace is at full capacity and operating well above pre-outage levels.
“We are very pleased that the Ashland blast furnace is back on-line and operating well,” said James L. Wainscott, Chairman, President and CEO of AK Steel. “Completion of this outage helps position us to serve our customers’ needs for years to come.”
The outage cost the company approximately $19 million in capital investments and $31 million associated with the outage itself and reduced production levels at Ashland Works prior to the maintenance.
The impact on customers was minimized, said AK Steel, through increased production at its other plants and purchase of additional slabs.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills

Trump approves Nippon-U.S. Steel deal, USW cries foul
President Trump has approved the sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel, according to an executive order signed on Friday, June 13. Both the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker and the Japanese steelmaker cheered the development.

Nippon exec responds after Trump ‘golden share’ comments: Report
A Nippon executive has hit back regarding the deal for USS following President Trump's talk of a "golden share" on Thursday.

Trump says US government to control 51% share in USS
President Trump says the US government will hold a 51% stake in U.S. Steel after the Nippon deal.

ArcelorMittal plans wire-drawing closure in Hamilton, shifts production to Montreal
ArcelorMittal’s (AM) Hamilton location to be shuttered, wire production shifting to Montreal.

USS, Nippon Steel quiet as litigation deadline approaches
There has been little word from U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel, or the White House since President Trump endorsed the companies’ “partnership” on social media and celebrated it at the May 30 rally outside Pittsburgh.