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    Company Announcements

    July 17, 2026

    Liberty Steel temporarily furloughs workers at Illinois wire rod mill

    Written by Ethan Bernard

    Liberty Steel workers at its Bartonville, Ill., facility face furloughs after an industry downturn, according to a media report.

    A company spokesperson told WMBD-TV News in Peoria, Ill., last week that the majority of the workers affected will be at its wire mill. But the action is temporary, and “we are looking forward to bringing all employees back.”

    Ethan Bernard

    Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

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