AK Steel's Ashland, Kentucky works has begun preparing to get its blast furnace back up and running.
An estimated 40 United Steelworkers Union members came back from temporary layoffs Monday to check for leaks and test the motor equipment in preparation to restart the furnace, which is currently in hot-idle status. Most of the plant's estimated 650 workers, who were temporarily laid off in November when the mill was idled, will return to work sometime next week when the restart begins.
It will take approximately two to three weeks to fully restart the furnace. Once the blast furnace is fully operational again, the remaining temporarily laid off employees are expected to be called back to work, according to union officials.