In announcing its fourth-quarter earnings, the company said that it has decided to fully and permanently close the largely idled plant to reduce costs and improve efficiency, taking advantage of unused capacity at other facilities. 

AK Steel announced in October 2015 that it would temporarily idle the blast furnace and steel shop, citing a glut of unfairly traded carbon steel imports. The company, however, continued to operate a galvanizing line. 

Production on that line – and the 230 people who operated it – will be moved to other plants. 

“This will increase those operations’ utilization rates. Production volumes and customer shipments are not expected to be impacted by the closure,” the company said in a statement. 

The company expects to save US$40 million annually as a result of the decision.

“These savings, combined with the positive impact of (the Trump administration’s) policies to address unfair trade practices, will help facilitate the company’s longer-term growth plans. It will also help maintain and enhance the company’s more cost-effective steelmaking facilities and further drive growth and innovation,” it said.