Mittal plans to restart 160-inch plate mill in Gary, Ind.

Mittal Steel USA is planning to restart the idled plate mill in Gary, Ind., due to strong market demand for plate products. The reopening of the 160-inch plate mill would create more than 200 jobs in northwest Indiana and is targeted for September 2007.

In 1990, the mill underwent a major modernization program that included automatic hydraulic gauge control. The mill has the ability to produce plate up to 150 inches in width with lengths up to 1,500 inches desired by customers for better productivity.

"The reopening of the Gary mill would allow Mittal to meet the increasing demands of the energy market, which is forecasted to be strong for the next several years," said Shelby Pixley, chief executive officer of Mittal Plate USA. "Largely due to the strength of this market, plate demand has grown significantly for large-diameter line pipe, wind towers, transmission towers and tank cars."

As previously announced, Mittal also plans to participate in the export market to take advantage of strong global demand for plate products in the construction, machinery and shipbuilding markets. Additionally, the reopening of the Gary mill will also enable Mittal to increase its heat-treat capacity for quench and temper product which, like wide-plate, is in strong demand.

"Mittal Steel USA will be recreating jobs that were previously lost," said Dave McCall, United Steelworkers District 1 director. "This shows what can be accomplished when a company that is dedicated to the business works with the USW to produce steel products competitively on a global basis."