S&P Global reported that US Steel is set to cut additional blast furnace capacity at its Mon Valley location outside of Pittsburgh amid depressed demand conditions.
S&P report quoted market sources as saying that “The steelmaker is set to take the No 1 blast furnace at its Mon Valley works offline by the end of next week, according to the sources.
The blast furnace has an annual rated capacity of 1.09 million st and is one of two at the mill. There are no plans to take the smaller No 3 blast furnace offline at the mill at this time.”
Sources added that Gary Works No 6 blast furnace of of 1.23 million st is also expected to be taken offline, leaving only the No 14 furnace running at the location
A buy-side source said a US Steel contact confirmed only three blast furnaces would remain operational after the adjustments. The three furnaces expected to remain operational were at Mon Valley, Gary and the Granite City works in Illinois.