State reps pitching for new ThyssenKrupp plant

Top state economic development officials from Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas, including Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Mike Olivier, are heading to Germany this week to promote their proposed sites for ThyssenKrupp's planned $3 billion southern US mill. Mr. Mike Olivier is visiting ThysseenKrupp AG to meet with company representatives to promote St. James Parish for the site of the company's new $3 billion steel mill, which is expected to create 2,000 new jobs. Representatives from Alabama and Arkansas are expected to be visiting Germany this week as well. A decision is currently pending regarding a location for the new mill, with the states of Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas all having potential sites. The new facility will include a plant for hot rolling which will be used to process slabs from a new CSA steel mill in Brazil. There will also be cold rolling and hot-dip coating capacities and stainless steel facilities as well. The $2.3 billion carbon plant is expected to produce 4.5 million metric tons (mt) annually along with a $636 million melt shop producing 1 million metric tons of slab, 325,000 mt of cold strip and 100,000 mt of pickled hot strip.