Steel Mills
Cliffs idles Steelton, Riverdale, and Conshohocken operations
Written by Ethan Bernard
July 1, 2025
Cleveland-Cliffs’ previously announced idlings at its Riverdale, Ill., Conshohocken, Pa., and Steelton, Pa., mills have gone into effect.
That’s according to WARN Notices from the affected states and Cliffs’ website.
Recall that in early May the Cleveland-based steelmaker announced the idlings would take place on or around June 30. Insufficient demand and pricing were cited as drivers. At the time, the steelmaker said ~950 jobs would be impacted.
Cliffs declined to provide additional comment on this story. A request for comment from the United Steelworkers union, which represents workers at the facilities, was not returned by time of publication.
Steelton
The Steelton mill, which makes steel rails, was listed in “full idle,” per Cliffs’ website.
A Pennsylvania WARN notice from May said 559 workers were affected. Regarding whether it was listed as closure or layoff, the notice listed it was a “layoff.”
Located near Harrisburg, Pa., the facility also sports an EAF with ladle refining and vacuum degassing facilities, a three-strand continuous jumbo bloom caster, and an ingot-teeming facility.
Cliffs in its first quarter earnings report said that Steelton was idled in part because of import competition from Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel.
Company Chair, President, and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said during a press conference in early June that Steelton would remain idle despite higher Section 232 tariffs.
Riverdale
The Riverdale operation was also listed in “full idle” on Cliffs’ website.
An Illinois WARN notice from May 2 said layoffs there were because of a “plant closure,” with an effective date of June 30.
Riverdale is a compact strip mill that produces hot-rolled sheet. It is located 14 miles away from Cliffs’ Indiana Harbor Facility in East Chicago, Ind. Riverdale had sourced hot metal from East Chicago via specialized “torpedo” rail cars.
Conshohocken
A Pennsylvania WARN notice from May listed 107 employees affected at the Conshohocken plant, with the closure or layoff category listed as “layoff.”
The effective date listed was June 30.
Conshohocken is a plate finishing facility near Philadelphia.
Ethan Bernard
Read more from Ethan BernardLatest in Steel Mills
U.S. Steel sues Algoma over iron pellet shipments
U.S. Steel is suing Algoma over the Canadian flat-rolled producer's rejection of iron pellet shipments, arguing it has breached its contract.
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.