Market Segment

US Steel Celebrates Start of Construction of Gary Works Pig Iron Caster
Written by Laura Miller
May 26, 2022
Construction of a new pig iron caster has begun at US Steel’s Gary Works with start-up expected early next year.
US Steel employees joined United Steelworkers leaders and others this week in Indiana to celebrate the $60 million investment.
The company’s Minntac and Keetac Minnesota ore operations will feed the pig iron facility, which sports annual capacity of 500,000 tons per year. And the pig iron produced at Gary will supply US Steel’s Big River Steel Works in Arkansas with 50% of its ore-based metallic needs.
“This investment at Gary Works, to create the necessary material for our lower-emissions electric arc furnaces, is the perfect example of combining the best of integrated and mini mill technologies. … We’re committed to a future of driving profitable steel solutions for people and the planet,” US Steel president and CEO David B. Burritt said.
“Gary Works is US Steel’s largest manufacturing plant and its role in the company and in this community is significant,” said Daniel Killeen, vice president of Gary Works. “Knowing that the nearly 4,000 employees at Gary Works are not just contributing here, but we now get to utilize our blast furnace efficiency to contribute to the company’s new, most environmentally friendly operations at Big River Steel Works, is something we’re excited about.”
“The process of pigging iron will help secure our plant in an ever-changing global market,” noted Gus Atsas, president of USW Local 1014.

Pictured above: Rendering of the pig iron caster being built at U. S. Steel Gary Works.
By Laura Miller, Laura@SteelMarketUpdate.com
Laura Miller
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