Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) Status Update summary

Strategic investment and job creation

• Announced a $150 million investment to establish a new state-of-the-art distribution transformer plant in Weirton, West Virginia, creating 600 union jobs for skilled steelworkers, with $50 million provided as a forgivable loan by the state.

• The plant will repurpose the Half Moon Warehouse to produce three-phase distribution transformers, addressing a critical shortage in the U.S. and supporting electric grid expansion.

• The facility is expected to be operational in the first half of 2026, aligning with new U.S. Department of Energy efficiency standards.

• The project is a result of collaboration between company leadership, labor unions, and state and federal officials.

• The State Economic Development Authority approved $50 million in support, reflecting strong state commitment.

Economic and employment impact

• The project will create reemployment opportunities for 600 USW-represented workers from the idled Weirton tinplate mill.

• Increased demand for American-made Grain Oriented Electrical Steel (GOES) will support job growth at the Butler Works mill in Pennsylvania and other Cliffs steel plants in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.

Community and workforce impact

• The new facility revitalizes a community hit by the closure of the tinplate plant, restoring hundreds of good-paying jobs.

• Local and national union leaders emphasized the importance of the partnership and the return of manufacturing to the region.

• The project is seen as a model for labor-business relations and a catalyst for a manufacturing renaissance in the area.

• Community leaders and elected officials highlighted the plant’s role in supporting families and preserving local traditions.