Steel Mills
Algoma Steel temporarily idles blast furnace, local news reports
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
February 28, 2025
Algoma Steel temporarily idled its blast furnace in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, this week, according to a local news source.
“We experienced an event at the blast furnace which required a controlled shut down to facilitate repairs,” Laura Devoni, the steelmaker’s director of human resources and corporate affairs, was quoted in SooToday.com, a media outlet also based in Sault Ste. Marie.
“We minimized non-essential staffing levels while repairs were underway to control costs during this period of tariff threats,” Devoni continued. “The blast furnace is operational, and we are in the process of scaling up.”
Algoma’s No. 7 blast furnace has a daily ironmaking capacity of 8,400 short tons, according to SMU’s blast furnace status table. Last year, the furnace was down for three weeks in January/February due to an unplanned outage.
The flat-rolled steelmaker is in the process of shifting away from blast furnace operations to electric-arc furnace steelmaking.
Last month, Algoma said it would indefinitely idle its 106” mill, part of its plate and strip combination facility, as part of the EAF transition.
The company has already begun cold-commissioning its EAF project, with steel production expected by the end of Q1’25.
Stephanie Ritenbaugh
Read more from Stephanie RitenbaughLatest in Steel Mills
Steel Summit: Schneider sees SDI ‘on the edge of a very good run’
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) President and Chief Operating Officer, Barry Schneider, remains bullish about the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker’s position in the current market.
Steel Summit: Burritt says USS and Nippon are fast-tracking modern steelmaking
U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt told audiences at SMU's Steel Summit 2025 that the iconic American steelmaker’s partnership with Nippon Steel is fast-tracking smarter steel production.
Nucor moves to stop HRC price slide with $10/ton hike
Nucor is attempting to halt the decline in hot-rolled coil prices with the announcement of a $10-per-short-ton increase in its weekly consumer spot price on Monday.
Explosion rocks ArcelorMittal’s DR plant in Mexico
ArcelorMittal reported a "strong" explosion at the direct reduction part of its massive Lazaro Cardenas mill in Mexico.
SDI to acquire remaining stake in New Process Steel
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) announced that it has agreed to acquire the remaining 55% equity interest in New Process Steel.