Cleveland-Cliffs, the nation’s second-largest steelmaker, plans to idle three plants, including the plate-finishing works in Conshohocken, writes Joseph N. DiStefano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
These temporary but indefinite closures will start at the end of June. The Montgomery County plant, located just outside the borough in Plymouth Township, employs around 110 people who are expected to be laid off.
“The indefinite idling of these facilities is not due to steel tariffs,” said Patricia Persico, Cleveland-Cliffs spokesperson.
The Conshohocken plant processes heavy steel plates for high-rise construction, shipbuilders, and many other customers. These plates are produced at Cleveland-Cliffs’ Coatesville plant and lab, which will not be affected by the closures.
The plants that Cleveland-Cliffs plans to idle were acquired through takeovers of smaller steelmakers and fall outside the company’s core focus on producing flat-rolled steel at its larger mills.
The Conshohocken plant was originally part of the locally based Alan Wood Steel company from 1832 to 1977. Alan Wood Steel also owned iron mines, a railroad to King of Prussia, metal cabinet factories, and several other facilities.
After it was sold in 1977, the plant has had a number of out-of-town steel company owners, including global steel giant ArcelorMittal, who sold it to Cleveland-Cliffs in 2020.
Read more about the Conshohocken steel mill set to halt operations in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
