U. S. Steel To Idle Alabama Blast Furnace
07/31/2015 - United States Steel Corp. intends to idle the blast furnace at its Fairfield Works in Alabama, where the company is installing a new electric arc furnace.
The shutdown is expected to occur in mid-August, CEO Mario Longhi told analysts during the company's quarterly earnings call on July 29.
"We will continue to support our flat rolled customers in the Southern market, either directly out of Fairfield or from our other flat rolled facilities. All of our other blast furnaces are currently running at levels appropriate to support our order book," Longhi said during the call.
The furnace previously had been idled, but was restarted in early June to provide rounds for its tubular segment. Longhi said progress on installation of the electric arc furnace is progressing, and the company remains on schedule for start-up in the second half of 2016.
Meanwhile, the company is finishing up installation of a new caster -- the work is set for completion in August -- at its Granite City, Ill., mill.
"We will let out order book tell us when it's time to restart the second blast furnace at that plant," Longhi said.
"We will continue to support our flat rolled customers in the Southern market, either directly out of Fairfield or from our other flat rolled facilities. All of our other blast furnaces are currently running at levels appropriate to support our order book," Longhi said during the call.
The furnace previously had been idled, but was restarted in early June to provide rounds for its tubular segment. Longhi said progress on installation of the electric arc furnace is progressing, and the company remains on schedule for start-up in the second half of 2016.
Meanwhile, the company is finishing up installation of a new caster -- the work is set for completion in August -- at its Granite City, Ill., mill.
"We will let out order book tell us when it's time to restart the second blast furnace at that plant," Longhi said.
