AK Steel announced it will extend an already-scheduled maintenance outage at its Mansfield, Ohio plant to “match up production” with the US auto industry during the coronavirus pandemic. AK Steel Mansfield, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cleveland Cliffs, announced the move after Ford said this week it would delay the restart of several auto plants in the US and Mexico.
The plant was initially scheduled for a 2-3 day outage, and will now idle its flat rolled stainless steel production for two weeks. The company did not disclose how many employees would be affected, but a spokesperson for the company said some maintenance employees would still be on staff during the closure.