Steel Mills

USS to Restart Nanticoke Coke Batteries

April 26, 2014

Based on an article published in the Hamilton Spectator we have learned that US Steel intends to restart the coke batteries at Nanticoke in Hamilton, ONT, Canada starting October 1st of this year. The steel mill recently reopened this past September after a lock out in April 28th, 2013 over demands for contract changes. The battery will need 60 employees for its operations and new positions will be available since the members of the previous operations crew may have moved to other parts of the mill or quit entirely. U.S. Steel lost nearly 20 per cent of its Lake Erie workforce during the lock out last year.

According to the Spectator, “New York-based steel analyst Chuck Bradford said one reason for the restart of coke making operations in Canada may be trouble with supplies of the material coming from American plants, especially the giant facility in Gary, Ind., where a new technology for making coke has been troubling the company.”

“At the same time, its supply has been constricted by the Gary issues and shipping problems on the Great Lakes. Bradford said U.S. Steel’s need for the material has risen as steel demand remains high, especially from the American auto industry. ‘Whatever the reasons this does appear to be good news for now,’ he said.”

Attempts to get a comment from USS Canada were unsuccessful. US Steel reports 1st Quarter 2014 earnings on April 29th.