US Steel announced Thursday plans to close its Gary Works coke plant in May, displacing about 300 workers. It will mark the end of a coke-making era at the steel plant that once operated three coke batteries.
Company spokeswoman Courtney Boone said United Steelworkers of America officials had been notified of the permanent shutdown, which will affect about 300 workers. The decision was described as "strategic" and "based on market conditions and the company's long-term coke strategy."