The addition of U.S. Steel’s new mill will make a northeast Arkansas county an hour north of Memphis the largest steel-producing county in the U.S. 900 new jobs created earning on average 100k/year. BNSF is involved in serving it.
United States Steel Corporation Breaks Ground on the Most Technologically Advanced Steel Mill in North America - www.ussteel.com
Arkansas seems to be doing things right. JB Hunt, Tyson, Walmart and now this.
BNSF should put a team on it. Marketing, Operations, and Finance to maximize their participation. If the unions are willing, get them involved.
Thx for commenting greyhounds. I was going to ask if you’d chime in with ideas for rail transport.
This seems lke one of those things that proves…" Whats old is new again, things…"
That little area in N.E. Arkansas has been somewhat of an industrial incubator since late 1980’s… It is very flat and supported mostly cotton and bean production since the Cvil War(?).
It is mostly adjacent to the Mississippi River and has been a railroad branch line througgh that area (1st was SL-SF and then BN and BNSF)…Frm E Missouri to connection at West Memphis Ar.
Nu Cor Steel put a small ‘mill’ (for beams(?), about 1977 just east of Osceola, on the river. And there was the old ‘bomber’ [Eaker] base at Blytheville. Out by the river there were some industries. ( fertilizer, IIRC).
Mostly, agricultural land (cheap to buy, ? for manufacturing? ) It is nice to see that it is growing in ‘use’…
There’s a saying worth remembering:
“Business goes where it’s made most welcome.”
Arkansas and Tennessee have been booming since as long as I can remember. Their central location, geography, and proximity to major consumer markets makes those states an obvious choice for industrial growth. I’ve never been stuck for freight in either state.
It doesn’t hurt that they are “right-to-work” (anti-union) states.
Steel doesn’t travel well. I just read a book named Big Steel about the history of USS. That’s why they built the Gary Works. Industry was moving west and shipping costs from Pittsburgh were killing profit margins once “Pittsburgh Plus” was abandoned. It’s amazing how much laws have changed. One hundred years ago, collusion and price fixing were legal and commonplace.
And when we say 100 years ago - we are only talking about the 1920’s.
Will it actually produce more steel than any other county? Or will much of its “production” just be processing of existing steel?
Which county is it?
Interesting question. Cam watchers at Deshler regularly see steel slabs from Dearborn headed down to Middletown for further processing, and coil steel coming back north.
OTOH, a regular train through Deshler is the “taco” (taconite ore), also headed to Middletown.
For now. When you treat employees as indentured servants or slaves, things happen.
It may become the largest county, but that’s because northwest Indiana is made up of three counties. No way is it as large as the Indiana Harbor, Gary and Burns Harbor mills.
It’s Mississippi County, Arkansas.
It really doesn’t mater if it is the largest steel producing county. The press release says the facility will have a production capacity of 3,000,000 tons/year. That’s a whole lot of steel to haul. Something like 30,000/ 100 ton loads per year.
My understanding is that this facility will not produce virgin steel. It will recycle scrap into “new steel”. That means there will be scrap loads in as well as the steel loads out. If they ship 100 tons out they’re going to need 100 tons inbound. That means even more revenue loads for the freight carriers.
Of course not all this will move by rail. USS is locating on the Mississippi River so they can use barge transport in and out. That’s a wise move on their part. And there will always be truckers looking for loads.
So BNSF cannot just sit back and wait for the freight to come to them. Plan it out now as best they can to maximize results. And for the Love of God stay flexible. Things will continually change. Just try to stay with it.
A thought. Was this area affected by the 1812 New Madrid earth quake?
Scary, isn’t it?
Yes, it is. Many people think World War 2 is ancient history but when your father and uncles fought in it, it’s current for you. My wife’s one friend’s mother is 106. She was born in 1915. If you double her lifespan, you’re talking pre-War of 1812. Almost half the history of the US.
When I was a kid everyone remembered the 1920’s…clearly. Except us kids, of course.
I remember watching this program on “What’s My Line?” when I was in grade school:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RPoymt3Jx4
I also recall seeing veterans of the Spanish-American War in our Memorial Day Parade in 1966.
This county already has several steel companies. This new plant will be next to Big River Steel.
This part of Arkansas has been promoting the nickname of Steel Mill Heaven.
Here’s an interesting article on Arkansas’s steel industries:
Big River Steel, built in 2014, was recently acquired by US Steel. It and the new mill will be capable of producing 6.6 mil. tons. Then there’re the Nucor mills nearby.