ATI Completes Repairs to Key Piece of Equipment
10/01/2015 - Allegheny Technologies Inc. has completed repairs to the rotary crop shear at its hot rolling and processing facility and put it back rolling stainless coils, the company has announced.
In May, the Pittsburgh, Pa., USA, company said it had discovered a defective component in the shear, and although it continued to produce most of its flat rolled products without it, the company said its operating profits were impacted.
The shear is ued to cut the heads and tails of slabs before they enters the facilities seven-stand finishing mill.
Also, the company reported that although union workers in its flat rolled division have been locked out for six weeks, business is proceeding as usual.
In an update on the lockout, the company said it remains committed to reaching “a fair and more competitive labor agreement.” But, in so many words, it also said it is making steel just fine on its own with salaried and nonunion employees and temporary staff members.
“ATI Flat Rolled Products operations, production levels, and safety engagements are meeting and in many cases exceeding expectations. (Flat rolled) facilities are operating, most at pre-work stoppage production levels,” the company said.
Bob Wetherbee, executive vice president of ATI’s flat rolled group, said the work stoppage is enabling ATI to “identify new ways to safely optimize operations, increase our hands-on knowledge of the equipment and processes, and improve our productivity and efficiency.”
ATI locked out United Steelworkers on 15 August after the union let lapse a company deadline for acting on what it called its last best and final offer. The union said the lockout was unreasonable because both sides were continuing to negotiate and had made some progress toward an agreement.
The shear is ued to cut the heads and tails of slabs before they enters the facilities seven-stand finishing mill.
Also, the company reported that although union workers in its flat rolled division have been locked out for six weeks, business is proceeding as usual.
In an update on the lockout, the company said it remains committed to reaching “a fair and more competitive labor agreement.” But, in so many words, it also said it is making steel just fine on its own with salaried and nonunion employees and temporary staff members.
“ATI Flat Rolled Products operations, production levels, and safety engagements are meeting and in many cases exceeding expectations. (Flat rolled) facilities are operating, most at pre-work stoppage production levels,” the company said.
Bob Wetherbee, executive vice president of ATI’s flat rolled group, said the work stoppage is enabling ATI to “identify new ways to safely optimize operations, increase our hands-on knowledge of the equipment and processes, and improve our productivity and efficiency.”
ATI locked out United Steelworkers on 15 August after the union let lapse a company deadline for acting on what it called its last best and final offer. The union said the lockout was unreasonable because both sides were continuing to negotiate and had made some progress toward an agreement.
