Steel Mills

U.S. Steel May Be Down to Three Furnaces
Written by Sandy Williams
April 25, 2020
Steel Market Update sources report that U.S. Steel plans to idle the #1 blast furnace at Mon Valley Works by the end of this week. The furnace, located at the Edgar Thomson Plant, has a daily capacity of 3,460 tons and would leave only the No. 3 furnace at the facility operational at 3,100 tons per day.
The Gary Works #6 BF also will be taken offline, sources say. If verified by U.S. Steel, the company would have just three furnaces operational with a total daily capacity of 15,900 tons per day.
- No. 3 Mon Valley—3,100 tons/day
- No. 14 Gary Works—9,200 tons/day
- Granite City B—3,600 tons/day
When asked for confirmation of the shutdowns, a spokesperson for U.S. Steel replied, “We do not comment on rumors or speculation.”

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills

Cliffs talks DOE funding, blast furnace relining schedule
The future of two projects supported in part by funding through the Department of Energy remains uncertain.

Cleveland-Cliffs open to asset sales
Meanwhile, its Canadian operations have been hurt by the broader tariffs proposed by the United States.

As Q1 loss balloons, Cliffs pledges to cut costs, streamline operations
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. gushed red ink in the first quarter, and pledged to stem the bleeding by idling inefficient, “loss-making operations” and increasing focus on its core automotive business.

Cliffs plans to idle three mills, cut 950 jobs on ‘insufficient demand and pricing’
Cleveland-Cliffs plans to indefinitely idle its steel mill in Riverdale, Ill., as well as mills in Conshohocken, Pa., and Steelton, Pa. The Cleveland-based steelmaker said all three facilities would be idled on or around June 30. Approximately 950 jobs will be impacted, the company said.

CRU: Usiminas may reduce capex unless government strengthens protection
“The lack of effective measures to create fair competition, amid a surge in subsidized imports, is the main threat to the sustainability of Brazil’s steel industry and its value chain,” CEO Marcelo Chara said.