It is reported that ArcelorMittal has stoked up a furnace at its Cleveland steel mill and resumed production over the weekend, bringing about 150 workers back from layoffs that the company ordered earlier this year.

ArcelorMittal began firing up the C5 blast furnace and the steel shop soon resumed operations.

Ms Mary Beth Holdford spokeswoman of ArcelorMittal Cleveland said that "With orders finally picking up after a year of dramatically diminished steel making business, the plant now has about 850 workers on the job. We remain cautiously optimistic for a slow and progressive recovery."

Ms Holdford said that the sprawling plant in Cleveland's Flats plans to restart the C 6 blast furnace this fall.

The Cleveland operation, part of the world's biggest steel making company, principally makes flat rolled steel, treating and annealing the metal to protect it from corrosion.

The results of firing up the first furnace after months of idleness should be apparent to Cleveland residents in the area and to motorists commuting into the city from the south.

(Sourced from www.cleveland.com)