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AK steel will shut down the blast furnace on Nov 22 which will lay off around 650 of the 700 union employees......

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/34281604.html

It is on WSAZ right now. They are keeping 50. Let's just hope the economy picks up and these people get back to work.

AK Steel was formerly known as American Rolling Mill Company (Armco). When Kawasaki bought a large percentage of the company, the name was changed to AK. Today, AK is focused on making high-end and highly profitable, automotive-grade steel. AK has won numerous awards for quality from Toyota and other car manufacturers.

The blast furnace really needs a new liner and the only way to do that is to shut it down for major repairs. However, with the way the auto industry and national economy are headed- who knows whether AK will put more money into that facility.

Most companies with a big $$$ environmental clean-up facing itself will continue to operate with a skeleton crew. As long as the plant is on hot idle, AK won't have to spend a dime dealing with EPA clean-up laws.

Hopefully, the furnace will be getting a new liner in order to extend the life of the furnace. If AK not have a contractor inside the plant re-lining the blast furnace before early spring, then the Tri-State won't likely ever see the Ashland Works of AK fully operational again.

Hot idling also opens the door for divestment. Down the road, it is possible that AK will sell the plant to a foreign investor- perhaps a Russian mill. "Rumors" of possible buyers for the Ashland facility have floated around for years.

Right now, things certainly don't look good.

Things are not good, but in my opinion, AK will come back up mid january or so. I think this will be a time of paring it's workforce again. Unfortunately, i dont see AK coming back at full strength. You will see some retire, some will hopefully gain other employment. I predict AK will come back about 100 or so lighter than it was. At least I am hopeful for that fact. This is potentially devastating to the entire tri state economic community, if this lasts long term.

And yet another reason to thank the Bush administration... Good bye Mr. Bush and don't let the door hit you.............

In my opinion, there will be another "stimulus package, led by President Elect Obama. I think this stimulus package will be more of an infrastructure package. More and / or better roads, parks, etc. This infrastructure will be designed to put people back to work and the steel industry will certainly be a part of this.

This has been on WSAZ news the last day or so, I hated to hear this, especially
at this time of the year.

A friend of mine is a brick layer and he said there is major construction going on, and Toyota is coming in........Don't know in what capacity, but he says don't worry...........

Back in the early '70's we had a big gasoline shortage/scare.
The big 3 Detroit car-makers responded by making bigger, heavier vehicles and strenuously fighting against any kind of fuel-efficiency or safety requirements.
In most respects, I say, they deserve what they're getting - but I also hate to see jobs lost now because "management" couldn't/didn't get the message back then.
Once again, the "big guys" win at the expense of the "little guys".

Squonk wrote:And yet another reason to thank the Bush administration... Good bye Mr. Bush and don't let the door hit you.............

Can you say NAFTA!! Who signed that. OH!!!! President William Jefferson Clinton!!!

why would you bail out the auto industry, when you could just buy them for far cheaper?

henrysteele wrote:
The blast furnace really needs a new liner and the only way to do that is to shut it down for major repairs. However, with the way the auto industry and national economy are headed- who knows whether AK will put more money into that facility.

Hopefully, the furnace will be getting a new liner in order to extend the life of the furnace. If AK not have a contractor inside the plant re-lining the blast furnace before early spring, then the Tri-State won't likely ever see the Ashland Works of AK fully operational again.

The Amanda furnace was relined in October 07 I think. It should last longer than a year though.

Again, a few lining their pockets at the expense of many whose pockets could have holes because nothing stays in them.

i've been inside those furnaces, relining them. thats where i was working when a 22 lb. block fell 77 feet , and hit the top of my hardhat, you wonder why i don't have a neck. made a lot of money in that plant , through the years.

good thang you was wearing that hardhat ytb..


this is so sad right before thanksgiving and christmas sad...

I've heard that a March startup is planned for AK Ashland. Has anyone else heard anything?