An influx of low-priced flat-rolled steel imports from China and a slowdown in activity is threatening production at Pittsburg, California-based flats mill USS-POSCO, a joint venture between US Steel and South Korea'S POSCO Industries.
Employee furloughs are currently under consideration for September while a complete shutdown of the plant for short one-to-two week periods in late November and then late December for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays is also a possibility.
USS-POSCO produces cold rolled and galvanized sheet primarily for the non-residential construction sector, which continues to be in painstakingly-slow recovery mode.