Patrick Bloom, senior vice president of government relations for Cleveland-Cliffs, the company that purchased AK Steel in Middletown for $1.1 billion in 2020, said Husted’s visit was a “great opportunity” to highlight the work of the Middletown Works employees and International Association of Machinists union workers.
The goal, Bloom said, was to show Husted how important Cleveland-Cliffs is to the manufacturing economy in the U.S., the state and the southwest Ohio region. Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America, officials said.
The company is the third largest employer in Butler County with 2,486 employees, according to the Butler County Development office. Miami University, the top employer, has 3,644 employees, followed by Cincinnati Financial Corp’s 3,500.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
After meeting with Cleveland-Cliffs officials privately, Husted talked exclusively with this news organization about his visit and the future of the steelmaker.
He was convinced the company’s management and the union are working together and that “same team” approach is vital to “compete with the rest of the world when you’re talking about steel.”
Then he added: “That’s how we win in America.”
The company told this newspaper in March it would receive a $500 million grant, part of a $1.6 billion project, that would be used to help to decarbonize its Middletown plant and install a new environmentally friendly system.
A recent report from Politico stated the company’s commitment was in jeopardy.
Then the company issued a news release in response to that report.
“The company continues to be in active negotiations with the Department of Energy related to the award-specific terms and conditions. Cliffs remains optimistic about receiving final approvals and proceeding with this carbon-friendly and high-return project,” the news release stated.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
“The project confirms Cleveland-Cliffs as a world-class technological leader in steelmaking,” said Lourenco Goncalves, Cliffs’ chairman, president and CEO. “Following our recent real life trials with hydrogen-reduction at Indiana Harbor and Middletown, and our well recognized success in Direct Reduction in Toledo, OH, this project is a natural next step.”
Husted was asked about those recent news reports. He was told by company officials during a private meeting Thursday that the plan is “going forward.”
That is “good for this facility,” he said. “Anytime you invest in a facility and you invest millions or billions over time, that means it’s secure. When you have the latest machinery and equipment that means you’re making a product that the market wants. When you invest in it you can’t move a steel mill, move hundreds of millions of dollars in investments very easily.
“That gives more security to this community and the people who work here.”
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