LORAIN -- Republic Steel is expecting to restart initial operations at its Lorain facility this summer.
In an email to WKYC from the company's Executive Vice-President Ted Thielens, he wrote:
"We are in the process of finalizing a time line for the re-start of the Lorain 9"-10" rolling mill, which we expect will commence operations this summer and would initially require approximately 100 employees. Future stages of increased production and employment at Lorain including the restart of EAF [Electric Arc Furnace] steel making will depend on the final outcome of how Section 232 is implemented, and the resulting impact of increased demand for domestic steel production."
Last month, in response to President Trump signing proclamations imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Republic Steel announced plans to restart its Lorain facility, which was idled in January 2016.
The move could bring back more than 1,000 jobs to the Lorain plant, which would be positioned to restart its idled electric arc furnace, casters, and rolling mills on short notice.
Republic currently has open capacity at its Canton melt shop. Restarting the Lorain facility would provide more than a million tons of new production capacity. The company anticipates that it would take a few months to hire and train employees and restart its idled equipment.
Republic Steel is the nation's leading provider of special bar quality (SBQ) steel.
"Republic is more than prepared to support market demand that has been previously supplied by imports," Jaime Vigil, President and CEO said at the time. "We maintained our Lorain facility while it's been idled waiting for the opportunity to restart and it appears that time is finally here.