WEIRTON, W.Va. — There’s already optimism in Weirton that the recently idled Cleveland-Cliffs tin mill may be converted into a plant that would produce steel for electric grid transformers.
Cleveland-Cliffs Chairman and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said Monday during a discussion about first quarter earnings with the Pittsburgh Business Times that the company is in discussions to convert the Weirton plant.
Steelworkers Union Local 2911 President Mark Glyptis told MetroNews Tuesday the discussions have been taking place for several weeks but was just made public by Goncalves Monday. Glyptis said he’s optimistic but there’s no done deal.
“It’s all kind of in the same zip code, it’s all manufacturing, so there’s some optimism on this happening. It’s very early. It’s in the preliminary stages,” Glyptis said.
The Weirton plant idled just last Saturday after an announcement earlier this year that Cleveland-Cliffs had lost all of its tin can customers because of steel dumping in the U.S. being done by foreign countries. There were more than 900 workers who lost their jobs.
Glyptis said Cleveland-Cliffs operations in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Zanesville, Ohio, already make steel used in transformers produced by Ermco. He said he’s hopeful Weirton will also.
“These (transformers) are desparately needed. The country can only make about half of what the country’s needs are,” Glyptis said. “There are ongoing discussions. It’s pretty exciting.”
Goncalves has kept his word about the Weirton plant, according to Glyptis.
“From day one he’s said he believes there’s a solution for the plant. He’s done exactly what he has said that he’s going to do,” Glyptis said. “I praise Lourenco for doing all he could to provide employment.”
Glyptis said converting the plant would take a significant investment. He said a certain kind of specialized equipment is needed to produce the steel used in the making of transformers.
“We could have a real opportunity to provide work for the employees, it would be good for the community, be good for Cleveland (Cleveland-Cliffs), the state,” Glyptis said. “If it happens it would be good for many people.”
Glyptis said about 100 plant workers have taken jobs with Cleveland-Cliffs at other plants. He said another 100 or so have taken jobs with other companies in the area while the rest of the workers are signing up for unemployment.
Glyptis said he hopes that won’t be for a extended period of time.
“It’s not a done deal; however, progress is being made toward a final result,” Glyptis said.