Cleveland-Cliffs to invest $1B in Middletown blast furnace

MANUFACTURING DIVE - Cleveland-Cliffs will invest $1 billion upgrading its blast furnace and other steel infrastructure in Middletown, Ohio, over the next four years, the company said Friday. Half of the funding is supported by a reworked U.S. Department of Energy grant awarded during the Biden administration.

The Middletown investment originally focused on implementing low-emissions technologies. Instead, it now includes a blast furnace relining, as well as upgrades to the facility’s advanced material handling infrastructure and artificial intelligence-powered control technologies, according to a news release. Construction is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

The project also includes an advanced cogeneration facility designed to capture blast furnace gas to generate electricity and steam for on-site consumption, which Cleveland-Cliffs said will improve overall energy efficiency. Environmental groups are pushing back on the reworked plan.