Jan. 30, 2007 — Arcelor Mittal Long Carbon North America has approved several capital investment projects at the company’s Steelton, Pa., plant.

The investment projects centers on the installation of electro-magnetic stirring (EMS) at the bloom caster, which will help to improve the cast steel’s internal properties. The company also plans upgrade to the in-line head-hardening unit that was installed in 1994 for the manufacture of premium rail.

The company says this investment has been designed to meet or exceed the needs of customers for the foreseeable future. It will help to improve the quality of continuous-cast blooms and will enhance the properties of its rail products.

"Steelton produces premium rails that provide the quality and wear resistance necessary for demanding environments and critical track components," said David P. Wirick, the plant's General Manager. "The announced improvements will further enhance our ability to meet customers' needs of today and tomorrow for head-hardened rails with higher hardness at increased depths."

The planned upgrades will be completed in 2007, enabling Steelton to provide the product enhancements for its customers' 2008 rail programs.

The Steelton plant, a former Bethlehem Steel operation located along the Susquehanna River in eastern Pennsylvania, can produce one million tons of steel annually. Products include high-quality rails, specialty ingots, blooms, and bars for the railroad, forging, and machinery markets. The facility employs about 600.

Arcelor Mittal is the world's number one steel company, with 330,000 employees in more than 60 countries. Arcelor Mittal leads a number of major global markets, including automotive, construction, household appliances and packaging, with leading R&D and technology, as well as sizeable captive supplies of raw materials and outstanding distribution networks. An industrial presence in 27 European, Asian, African and American countries exposes the company to all the key steel markets, from emerging to mature, positions it will be looking to develop in the high-growth Chinese and Indian markets.