U.S. Steel Granite City Works
Large load · 1951 STATE ST, Granite City, IL
Granite City Works is U.S. Steel's integrated mill in Granite City, Illinois, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. It makes iron in blast furnaces, converts it to steel slabs in basic oxygen furnaces, and rolls sheet steel for construction, container, pipe and automotive customers. Ironmaking and steelmaking stopped in November 2023 and resumed when Blast Furnace B restarted in March 2026, returning the hot end of the mill to the grid after more than two years.
Overview
U.S. Steel idled one of the two blast furnaces in 2019 and the last operating furnace in 2023, ending raw steel production at the site while finishing operations continued. A 2022 plan to sell both blast furnaces to SunCoke Energy for a granulated pig iron plant was described by the union as a threat to the mill's steelmaking and finishing operations.
Profile
- Wind-down plan reversed
- After Nippon Steel's acquisition, U.S. Steel said in September 2025 it would stop processing slabs at Granite City and concentrate on Mon Valley and Gary Works. Under pressure from the White House, it reversed course and in December 2025 began restarting a blast furnace, hiring about 400 of the roughly 500 workers needed. The national security agreement attached to the acquisition protects Granite City only until 2027, against 2035 for U.S. Steel's other facilities.
- Blast Furnace B back in production
- On March 30, 2026 U.S. Steel said iron and slab production had resumed at Granite City, citing increased customer demand. The restart brings the energy-intensive hot end, including blast furnace blowing, oxygen supply and the basic oxygen shop, back alongside the finishing lines. U.S. Steel has not published the mill's electric demand or its supply arrangements.
Facility
- Activity
- Integrated steelmaking (blast furnace and basic oxygen steel slabs) and rolled sheet steel
- Industry
- Manufacturing
- Site type
- Facility
- Operating status
- Operating
Related records
Timeline
- Nov 1, 2023
- Ironmaking and steelmaking shut down after the UAW strike.
US Steel restarts Granite City Works production | Manufacturing Dive
- Sep 9, 2025
- U.S. Steel announces it will stop processing slabs at Granite City.
US Steel to end steel production at Illinois plant, but won’t lay off any workers | Jefferson City News Tribune
- Dec 4, 2025
- U.S. Steel begins restarting a blast furnace.
U.S. Steel to resume steel production at Illinois plant shut 3 years ago - CBS Chicago
- Mar 30, 2026