U.S. Steel Restarts Construction at Idled Birmingham Facility

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): U.S. Steel Corporation announced Monday that it has decided to restart construction at a previously idled manufacturing facility near Birmingham in Alabama. The steel manufacturer attributed several factors including Trump’s trade policies, improving market conditions and support by the unions and government authorities for its decision to resume work at the plant.

The construction works are expected to commence immediately. U.S. Steel plans to invest approximately $215 million. The production is scheduled for late-2020. The plant will have a capacity of 1.6 million tons and will generate nearly 150 full-time jobs in the region. It must be noted that the company had reached an agreement with the United Steelworkers (USW) union last fall.

The blast furnace at the plant was idled in 2015, so as to replace the operation with an electric arc furnace (EAF). However, the company had postponed works, citing poor market conditions in the steel, oil and gas industries.

The USW welcomed the company’s decision, saying that it will ensure solid future for manufacturing operations in Alabama and Birmingham region.

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