U. S. Steel Relights Gary Works Blast Furnace After US$350 Million Reline
09/03/2026 - United States Steel Corporation has completed a US$350 million reline of its largest blast furnace and has returned the unit to service, the company announced Thursday.
Capable of annually producing more than 2 million metric tons of hot metal, the No. 14 furnace is the largest furnace at the company’s Gary Works in Indiana as well as U. S. Steel’s domestic fleet.
“The return of Blast Furnace No. 14 is a great example of disciplined execution at U. S. Steel and is a testament to the skill, dedication and unwavering focus on safety demonstrated by our employees, contractors and partners,” said U. S. Steel President and chief executive officer David Burritt.
“This investment positions Gary Works to continue serving customers, supporting American manufacturing, and creating value for years to come,” Burritt continued.
The project required more than 1 million labor hours from employees and contractors and was completed with a zero-days-away injury rate. The reline included replacement of the furnace’s refractory lining as well as restoration of critical systems designed to support safe, reliable operation and extend the furnace’s productive life.
During the outage, teams also completed extensive maintenance on supporting infrastructure, including the furnace gas, cooling water, hoisting and stove systems.
“The achievement reflects the commitment, expertise and teamwork of the thousands of people who helped execute an important, strategic project at Gary Works,” the company said.
“The return of Blast Furnace No. 14 is a great example of disciplined execution at U. S. Steel and is a testament to the skill, dedication and unwavering focus on safety demonstrated by our employees, contractors and partners,” said U. S. Steel President and chief executive officer David Burritt.
“This investment positions Gary Works to continue serving customers, supporting American manufacturing, and creating value for years to come,” Burritt continued.
The project required more than 1 million labor hours from employees and contractors and was completed with a zero-days-away injury rate. The reline included replacement of the furnace’s refractory lining as well as restoration of critical systems designed to support safe, reliable operation and extend the furnace’s productive life.
During the outage, teams also completed extensive maintenance on supporting infrastructure, including the furnace gas, cooling water, hoisting and stove systems.
“The achievement reflects the commitment, expertise and teamwork of the thousands of people who helped execute an important, strategic project at Gary Works,” the company said.
