This project was completed on the fastest time frame ever for a Midrex facility.

“I want to publicly thank the HBI construction team for their efforts in the completion of this crucial milestone ahead of our original schedule,” said Lourenco Goncalves, Cleveland-Cliffs chairman, president and chief executive officer. “I am proud that this portion of the project was accomplished in record time, and also completed with an industry-best environmental and safety record with 1.7 million man-hours. Thanks to this hard work, we remain ahead of schedule with a commercial production start date in the first half of 2020.”

Read the full press release here.