FOLLANSBEE, W.Va.– Steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs announced Friday it’s closing the company’s Mountain State Carbon Coke Plant in Follansbee.
The move is part of the company’s strategy to reduce its carbon footprint in producing its products, Cleveland-Cliffs Corporate Communications Director Pat Persico told MetroNews.
“We continue to reduce the usage of coke by increasing the use of hot-briquetted iron production and increased use of scrap in our steelmaking. This has dramatically lowered our needs for coke and coal,” Persico said.
There are 288 workers at the plant, 280 of them are members of the United Steelworkers Union. Persico said they would be given the opportunity to take available jobs at other Cleveland-Cliffs operations including the company’s tin mill in Weirton.
“If we can place our own workers at another Cleveland-Cliffs facility that’s a good thing for them as well as us,” Persico said.
The Follansbee plant will close in the April-June time frame. The company plans to retain 12 hourly and three salaried workers during the permanent closure process.
Persico said Cleveland-Cliffs is implementing efforts across its company to reduce CO2 emissions.
“The use of coal and coke is diminishing with the way we’re operating our facilities,” she sai