AK Steel Ashland Works

Amanda Blast Furnace

Located along the Ohio River in Ashland, Kentucky, this near-700-acre facility contains a coke plant, one blast furnace, a basic oxygen furnace, and other production facilities. Of interest is the abandoned blast furnace and hot strip, both of which was demolished after many years of disuse.

American Rolling Mill Company

One of the largest industrial developments in Ashland was announced in 1920 (1). President George M. Verity, president of the American Rolling Mill Company, proposed to construct a steel mill west of the central business district along the Ohio River. When it was completed on October 19, 1923, it featured a continuous rolling method to produce steel sheets, the first of its kind in the nation. The American Rolling Mill Company later purchased the old Ashland Steel Company, followed by the Norton Iron Works and the old Ironton Furnaces. In 1920, the American Rolling Mill Company employed 3,600 but just eighteen years later, that had increased to 7,500 (1). On December 30, 1921, the American Rolling Mill Company purchased the Ashland Iron & Mining, which included the Ashland furnace (3).

In 1925, the Ashland Culvert Works company was founded, later purchased by Armco and renamed to the Armco Drainage and Metal Products Company (1). Three years later, Armco purchased the Norton Iron Works that was located on the east end of the central business district of Ashland near 20th Street; It featured one blast furnace that was constructed in 1864 (3).

On March 12, 1941, ground was broken for the Bellefonte Furnace (1). Dedicated on August 24, 1942 (3) at a cost of $5 million, it produced 1,000/tons of steel per day (2) and featured a hearth 25 ft. across. The capacity was later increased to 2,600/tons of steel per day when the hearth was enlarged to 28 3/4 ft. (3). It was the 96th blast furnace constructed in the Hanging Rock region since the first pig-iron furnace was constructed in 1818.

In 1948, the American Rolling Mill Company was renamed to ARMCO Steel Corporation (3). One year later, a new one-million-dollar Taconite pellet plant was completed (3) as a trial to see if the former ‘waste by-product’ (4) would be viable for the steel industry. Two years later, a $40 million expansion was completed. A new hot-strip mill was opened on May 20, 1953 that employed 3,000 (1). One year later, a cold reduction mill, strip pickler, light gauge zincgrip and a heavy gauge zincgrip was completed at a cost of $12 million. At the close of the 1950s, Armco announced another $95 million upgrade, later upgraded to $145 million.

In 1962, the Ashland blast furnace was dismantled; it was the oldest operating furnace in the world (3). One year later, the Amanda blast furnace was completed as part of the upgrade (2). It featured a 30 ft., six in. wide hearth (3). In 1964, the Norton Blast Furnace was demolished (3). Two years later, pulverized coal injection was started in the Bellefonte Furnace, making its way into the Amanda in 1973. In 1968, the Amanda’s furnace was rebuilt to a 33 ft., six in. wide hearth (3).

In August 1984, Tom Gorder became the president of ARMCO’s Ashland Works. Trying to stem the loss of 2,000 jobs in 10 years, he stated he would help consolidate Ashland and Middletown, Ohio’s steel mills together in an effort to improve efficiency (2). That resulted in the closure of the hot strip mill, however, a new slab caster was constructed that provided steel slabs for Middletown. The hot strip mill’s closure in 1992, however, eliminated 930 jobs. The Sinter plant, cold strip mill, temper mills, pickling lines, annealing lines and machine shop all closed by 1995 (2). In May 1989, Armco sold 40 percent of its company to Kawasaki Steel of Japan (2); the remainder was sold in 1994 and the plant was renamed for AK Steel. By 1992, ARMCO Steel had become one of the worst performers for steel, losing $40 to $50 per ton when the remainder of the industry leaders were losing only $20 per ton (5). ARMCO Steel was also facing $700 million in bank loans that was due in 1995.

On July 1, 1992, all ingot production creased at the Ashland and Middletown works (5). They were too costly to produce, outdated and were dragging the remainder of the plant down in financial trouble. In 1996, as part of cost-saving operations, the Bellefonte Furnace was idled (3). This was because the company was ‘operating too much equipment and labor for the amount of steel’ it was shipping to its customers. AK Steel Ashland Works needed 6.5 man-hours to produce one-ton of steel, compared with three to four hours at an integrated mill and less than one hour at a mini-mill (5). By 1997, the Amanda blast furnace, caster and one finishing line was all that was left of the Ashland Works (5).

By becoming more efficient, the plant saw increasing profits. The workforce increased to 900 by 2004 (2). On April 2, 2004, Governor Ernie Fletcher announced a $40 million tax break that would help fund a vacuum degassing unit and modification to the slab caster, crucial to coke making and steel options. The modifications also made steel production for automobiles easier.

Allied Chemical & Dye Company Semet-Solvay Division

Constructed in 1912 east of the central business district, this coke plant featured 54 horizontal flue coke ovens (1). Four years later, an additional battery of 54 ovens was constructed. In 1937, the two original 54 batteries were expanded to 60 each. Another large expansion took place in 1953 with the installation of a third battery (1). The 76 vertical flue ovens expanded capacity and increased employment. It was constructed by the Wilputte Coke Oven Division, which Allied had purchased only several years prior. In the early 1950s, a research laboratory was constructed as well (1).

Gallery

Amanda Furnace

Bellefonte Furnace

Sinter plant

Sources