Warren Steel Holdings LLC is currently preparing to restart the former Copperweld steel mill in Champion, Indiana. Upon reopening, the mill will make billets for seamless tubing production for the oil and gas industry.
A great deal of work has been required to get the melt shop and never-used continuous steel caster into working order, following closure of the mill in 2001 after Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
After working for the past year to get the plant back into operating shape, plant manager Ron Bidula told press that the mill will be in the final stage of capability testing for the next two or three weeks, and that the company expects to produce 8-inch to 12-inch round steel billets for shipment by the end of June.
When the operation is fully ramped up, possibly in 12 to 18 months' time, the company will be able to ship approximately 700,000 tons of round billets, establishing itself as a "major factor in the market."
According to the maintenance supervisor, Dan Sechler, workers have rebuilt all cylinders that control movement of the ultra-high powered electric arc furnace, ladle refining furnace, continuous caster and other steelmaking machinery. The major cracks, bulges, and furnace sections caused by freezing water have been fixed along with the pumps.
Warren Steel originally attempted to reopen the mill last summer; however, that plan fell through when a partner of the Privat Group withdrew, and the workers hired were let go. More workers were hired again this spring, and Mr. Bidula estimates that an additional 40 to 50 workers are still needed to run the mill.