U.S. Steel to Indefinitely Idle Steelmaking at Granite City Works Plant

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Pittsburgh-based steelmaker United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel) announced its decision to indefinitely idle steelmaking at the Granite City Works plant.

The email sent out Tuesday morning by U.S. Steel Senior Vice President & Chief Manufacturing Officer Scott Buckiso stated that the company has already served Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice to around 1,000 employees. Nearly six out of ten workers are expected to lose their jobs, it said.

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According to the email, the rolling and finishing lines in Granite City, Illinois would continue to operate using slabs from other facilities. The demand from customers would be met with production from its other active iron and steelmaking facilities in the region.

United Steelworkers Local 1899 President Dan Simmons stated that the union was aware about the decision and that the email is just an official announcement about the development it had been anticipating for a while.

Two months back, the company had temporarily idled furnace B as part of its risk mitigation move in response to a strike action by United Auto Workers. At that time, Simmons had stated that they weren’t feeling the impacts of the strike.

Earlier in June last year, media reports had hinted at U.S. Steel’s plans to sell two of its blast furnaces in Granite City plant.