United States Steel Corporation (US Steel) has announced that blast furnace No. 14 at its Gary Works plant in Indiana has returned to service, following the completion of a $350 million reline of the furnace. The company announced the return to service on September 3.
Blast furnace No. 14 is the largest blast furnace at Gary Works and the largest in US Steel's operating footprint. It is capable of producing more than 2 million net tons of hot metal per year and runs on iron ore pellets from the company's Minnesota Ore Operations.
The project covered the replacement of the furnace's refractory lining and the restoration of critical systems, together with maintenance work on the furnace gas, cooling water, hoisting and stove systems. According to the company, the reline required more than 1 million labor hours, peaked at around 1,000 contractors on site per day and was completed with a zero days away injury rate.
US Steel president and chief executive officer David B. Burritt said, "The return of Blast Furnace No. 14 is a great example of disciplined execution at US Steel and is a testament to the skill, dedication and unwavering focus on safety demonstrated by our employees, contractors and partners."
The company's board approved full funding for the reline in December 2025, describing it at the time as critical maintenance needed to allow Gary Works to continue to meet customer commitments. The project forms part of Nippon Steel Corporation's commitment to invest $11 billion in US Steel by the end of 2028.
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