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U. S. Steel Resumes Operations on Granite City Works’ Blast Furnace B
03/31/2026 - United States Steel Corporation announced blast furnace B has been successfully restarted at Granite City Works in Granite City, Ill., USA.
U. S. Steel said it decided in December 2025 to restart operations of blast furnace B due to customer demand and business planning. About 400 employees were hired to support the resumed operations.
“As production resumes, our priority remains working closely with our employees, the United Steelworkers and local leaders to support safe operations at the facility,” said David B. Burritt, president and chief executive officer of U. S. Steel.
The company first announced it would temporarily idle blast furnace B and reallocate production to its other domestic facilities in September 2023 due to a strike by the United Auto Workers union. Later that year, it was indefinitely idled.
Following the purchase of U. S. Steel by Nippon Corp., the company was going to shut the plant down entirely. However, a national security agreement with the U.S. government prevented the company from idling the plant using its “golden share” power in September 2025. Shortly after, U. S. Steel said it would continue to supply raw steel slabs to Granite City Works, AP News reported.
“As production resumes, our priority remains working closely with our employees, the United Steelworkers and local leaders to support safe operations at the facility,” said David B. Burritt, president and chief executive officer of U. S. Steel.
The company first announced it would temporarily idle blast furnace B and reallocate production to its other domestic facilities in September 2023 due to a strike by the United Auto Workers union. Later that year, it was indefinitely idled.
Following the purchase of U. S. Steel by Nippon Corp., the company was going to shut the plant down entirely. However, a national security agreement with the U.S. government prevented the company from idling the plant using its “golden share” power in September 2025. Shortly after, U. S. Steel said it would continue to supply raw steel slabs to Granite City Works, AP News reported.
