{"id":26736,"date":"2015-09-18T11:30:08","date_gmt":"2015-09-18T15:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=26736"},"modified":"2015-09-18T21:25:57","modified_gmt":"2015-09-19T01:25:57","slug":"coatesvilles-arcelormittal-forges-its-way-as-steel-industry-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=26736","title":{"rendered":"Coatesville\u2019s ArcelorMittal \u2018forges’ its way as steel industry leader"},"content":{"rendered":"

Local steel plant leverages\u00a0proud history, manufacturing expertise and strong\u00a0community support<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

By Kim Chiomento,<\/strong> <\/span>News Editor, The Times<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

COATESVILLE \u2013 For 205 years, the United States’ oldest, continuously operating steel mill has called\u00a0Chester County home. Currently owned and operated by ArcelorMittal – USA, the plant has a fascinating history of providing essential components to many of the nation\u2019s most renowned infrastructure projects and military equipment designs.<\/p>\n

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Aerial view of the new Tappen Zee Bridge project<\/p><\/div>\n

Home to 830 employees, today the Coatesville facility is playing a key role in one of the largest construction contracts ever awarded in New York and the country \u2013 the rebuilding of the Tappen Zee Bridge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The original trans-Hudson Tappen Zee Bridge was built in 1955, and was designed to transport a maximum of 100,000 commuters daily. Recent estimates put that number closer to 140,000 commuters every day, well over its design capacity. Due to excessive wear and tear and related expensive fixes, the lack of pull-off shoulders and areas for emergency services vehicles to access; it was deemed necessary to rebuild this landmark bridge.<\/p>\n

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A worker carefully navigates across the new bridge’s steel girders.<\/p><\/div>\n

Ed Frey, General Manager Eastern Plate Operations – Arcelor Mittal – USA (AM-USA), explained to The Times<\/em> that they are producing custom steel plates ranging from about .375\u201d to 3.5\u201d thick.\u00a0 Frey says, \u201cThese steel plates have been specifically designed to withstand the traffic the Tapan Zee will encounter over its estimated 100 year life span.\u201d\u00a0 The plates are manufactured at AM-USA\u2019s Coatesville and Conshokocken, PA, plants along with its Burns Harbor, IN, facility. After manufacturing, they are then shipped to three bridge fabricators where the plates are cut, assembled and transported to the construction site.<\/p>\n

Frey also explained, \u201cOur steel also stands tall and proud in One World Trade Center. \u00a0The skyscraper contains 11,000 tons of plate from our Coatesville plant and more than 15,000 tons of our world-famous jumbo beams from AM’s Differdange \u2013 Luxemborg facility in its structural frame.\u201d \u00a0 Coatesville has also supplied world class steel to the following notable projects, in numerous industries, including:<\/p>\n