Enquirer.com reported that AK Steel will be idling an undetermined number of workers at its Middletown Works over the next few weeks as it begins the first major blast furnace rebuild in nearly a quarter century.

As per report, the Middletown blast furnace will be shut down starting Friday to replace the hearth. The Middletown blast furnace hearth has not been replaced since 1984. It has produced 50 million tonnes of steel since then.

Mr Alan McCoy spokesperson of AK Steel said that “The scheduled maintenance work will temporarily idle some of the 2,100 employees at the plant over the next six to seven weeks or more.”

The number of workers affected will vary week to week. . The company has not quantified the number of workers who are expected to be affected. About 130 workers at the plant are currently on layoff because of poor business conditions.

The company said earlier this year it would use the current depressed steel market to do the necessary maintenance expected to take about 45 days.

Mr McCoy said “We have the opportunity to replace it because business is so bad. When business is good, we operate both blast furnaces full tilt. It is a commitment to the future.”

The company recently restarted its Ashland blast furnace, idled since late last year, in anticipation of the Middletown maintenance, one of the factors expected to contribute to an operating loss for the March quarter.

(Sourced from Enquirer.com)