US Steel to ‘completely idle’ Lone Star plant

Employees of US Steel in Lone Star received word March 25 that the company would be indefinitely idling its tubular plant facility in Lone Star.

Since the March 25 announcement, U.S. Steel has announced what will result in a complete idling of the facility.

According to External Communications Director Meghan M. Cox, the company decided in May that they would be increasing the departments and operations that would be idled at the Lone Star plant.

“In March we advised employees that Lone Star Tubular Operations would indefinitely idle operations,” Cox said. “In May, we indicated we would accelerate the previously announced indefinite idling of the #1 and #2 Weld Mills and associated heat-treat and finishing operations at our Lone Star Tubular Operations. We will also now indefinitely idle the plant’s #2 Heat Treat Line, Finishing Line 2, Pipe Main Finishing Line and related supporting departments.”

According to Cox, this will “result in a complete idling of the facility upon conclusion.” The decision was made as a response to the sudden and dramatic decline in business conditions resulting from the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Cox, the company does have the ability to re-open the facility in the future, should the market warrant, hence the “indefinite idling” classification of the plant.

Formerly known as Lone Star Steel, the facility specialized in making tubular steel with outer diameters ranging from 16 inches to 1.415 inches. The company was purchased by US Steel for $2.1 billion on June 14, 2007.