U. S. Steel proposes permanent closure of certain operations in Alabama

Pittsburgh-based United States Steel Corp. has proposed intent to permanently close its blast furnace and associated steelmaking operations, along with most of the flat-rolled finishing operations, at Fairfield Works in Fairfield, Ala.

Under this action, the blast furnace and associated steelmaking operations would be idled. They and the hot strip mill, pickle line, cold mill, annealing facility, and stretch and temper line would be permanently closed on or after Nov. 17, 2015. The slab and rounds casters, the #5 coating line, and the Double G hot-dip galvanizing joint venture in nearby Jackson, Miss., would continue to operate. The decision does not impact Fairfield Tubular Operations or the electric arc furnace (EAF) construction project.

This proposal was initiated after careful market analysis of the company's current and long-term global operational footprint competitiveness. The construction of the EAF at Fairfield Works in place of the facility's existing blast furnace was included in that analysis.