Ohio Steelmakers Make Big Investments

The Ohio Steel Council said its members invested $297 million in capital upgrades in 2006, the second-highest investment level since 2000.

Patrick G. Tatom, co-chairman of the Columbus-based council and president and CEO of WCI Steel Inc., said Ohio Steel Council members have invested more than $1 billion in capital improvements since the start of the decade.

With the investments, Mr. Tatom said, “Ohio steel producers are developing cutting-edge technologies that will position them for leadership in the highly competitive global steel market.”

Northeast Ohio projects included in last year’s capital upgrades were Mittal Steel’s $53.5 million investment to make major improvements to its blast furnace and to complete a new galvannealing line, and Timken Co.’s $60 million expansion of its Canton rolling operations. When complete in mid-2008, that project will create about 30 jobs.

The Ohio Steel Council describes itself as “a public-private partnership designed to strengthen ties among the steel industry, the state of Ohio and its citizens.”

The council’s member organizations are AK Steel Corp.; the Lorain Tubular Operations of U.S. Steel Corp.; Mittal Steel USA; the Ohio Department of Development; the Ohio House of Representatives; the Ohio Senate; Pro-Tec Coating Co. (a joint venture of U.S Steel and Kobe Steel Ltd.); Republic Engineered Products Inc.; Timken Co.; Thomas Steel Strip Corp.; the United Steelworkers of America; V&M Star; WCI Steel Inc.; Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp.; Cleveland State University; and Ohio State University.

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