Steel Mills

Retirement Surge Challenges Algoma to Fill Jobs
Written by Sandy Williams
August 12, 2017
Algoma is looking for 63 good people. With retirement looming for 25 percent of its workforce in the next three years, Algoma is looking to attract new employees for production positions that include general labor, production operations and production shipment.
“We have 700 employees eligible to retire today. As these people transition into retirement, there is a positive net new economic impact in our community – one collecting a pension, another collecting a salary,” said Jim Rennie, vice president human resources.
In the last 18 months, Algoma has hired 270 people into salaried, trades and production positions. “These are good, full-time career opportunities at very competitive wages. These are the kinds of jobs that support families and build communities,” said Rennie.
Steel Market Update asked Algoma spokesperson Brenda Stenta how the company is handling finding qualified applicants for open positions.
“As our demographics shift and employees transition into retirement, new opportunities are opening up for both entry-level and mid-career roles,” said Stenta. “In an effort to ensure we have qualified people in the pipeline, Algoma offers a very robust apprenticeship program, providing training in up to nine different trades.”
The company currently has 44 apprentices and 32 approved for entry into the program.
Algoma also offers a Graduate Engineer Trainee program designed to take high potential engineering graduates and develop them for careers in steel. Stenta said the company takes 8-10 graduate engineers on board each year. “Both of these programs have proven to be effective tools as we look to address succession planning across the organization,” she said.
Algoma currently has approximately 2,700 employees and more than 6,000 retirees. “Retirees continue to receive full pension and benefits during the restructuring process,” said Stenta.
Algoma said on its website that another 45 jobs in trades and professional job opportunities are also available.
Restructuring Update
Algoma has been under Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act protection since November 2015 and is currently in negotiations with the Debtor in Possession lenders to acquire the company. The company has received several extensions to its DIP financing and Stay of Proceedings. The current Stay of Proceedings expires Sept. 30, 2017. In its fourth and latest financing extension, the DIP agreement was extended through March 31, 2018.
“Stakeholder discussions are ongoing with the approved bidder, and we remain focused on making quality steel here at Algoma,” said Stenta.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills

August US mill shipments slip but still higher than last year
The American Iron and Steel Institute reported a decline in the monthly shipments of US mills from July to August.

TransPod, Algoma, Supreme Steel linkup anchors Canadian steel in high-speed transit build
The three Canadian companies have announced a strategic partnership to support the development of an ultra-high-speed transit line from Edmonton to Calgary.

Metallus, USW agree to tentative four-year labor deal
Metallus and the United Steelworkers (USW) have agreed to a tentative four-year labor contract.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco resumes cokemaking after emergency maintenance
The Canadian steelmaker reported on Sept. 30 that “urgent maintenance” was needed in its coke plant off-gas systems. The work required coke oven gas from the No. 2 coke plant to be flared for most of that week.

AISI: Raw steel production ticks back down
US raw steel output declined last week after increasing the week prior, according to the latest data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Output has see-sawed from week to week since mid-August. Still, it has remained historically strong over the past four months and has held near multi-year highs since June. Domestic mills […]