US-based steelmaker United States Steel Corporation (US Steel) has reversed its earlier decision to end slab processing at the Granite City Works plant in Illinois, following intervention by the White House, according to media reports. The move preserves hundreds of jobs.
US Steel was planning on halting processing steel slabs at its Granite City Works facility likely in November, moving slab processing to Gary Works in Indiana and continuing slab operations at the Mon Valley Works in Pittsburgh, as SteelOrbis previously reported.
White House intervention
The White House confirmed it blocked the closure plan under the national security agreement tied to Nippon Steel’s buyout of US Steel. The deal, struck three months ago, included a “golden share” provision (a special right held by the US government allowing it to influence or block key corporate decisions when national security is at stake), giving the federal government power to intervene in decisions affecting US steel production. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick conveyed President Trump’s warning that the golden share would be exercised if US Steel went ahead with its idling plans.
Meanwhile, the company stated that it had found a solution to continue slab processing at the Granite City plant and declined to discuss the White House’s assertion that it had blocked the move.
