Steel company CEO praises China probe

John Brett, president and CEO of ArcelorMittal USA, joined other steel industry executives at the White House Thursday where an executive order was signed by President Donald Trump. The order will launch a “Section 232” national security investigation by the Department of Commerce to determine whether steel imports threaten national security.

ArcelorMittal has steel mills in Coatesville and Conshohocken in the region.

“We very much appreciate the Administration’s decision to initiate and expedite the Section 232 investigation. ArcelorMittal USA is a proud supplier of American-made steel for national defense applications, from nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers to missiles and tanks,” said Brett. “Additionally, the steel we produce for the energy and infrastructure markets is critical to our economic and national security. The global steel market is in crisis because of China’s excess steel capacity, and we welcome the Administration’s efforts to aggressively address this problem.”

The company is based in Luxembourg with U.S. headquarters in Chicago. In the United States, ArcelorMittal owns and operates 27 facilities, including mines, integrated steelmaking facilities, mini-mills and finishing operations. It employes approximately 20,000 people with industrial operations in 13 states and a presence in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

ArcelorMittal formed in 2006 when the world’s largest steel company, Mittal Steel Company N.V., merged with Arcelor S.A., the second largest. Today, ArcelorMittal has approximately 209,000 employees and a presence in more than 60 countries, according to its website.

Aqua touts system upgrades

Aqua Pennsylvania Thursday announced the company will make $292 million in infrastructure improvements in the state throughout 2017, after completing $234 million of similar projects in 2016. Multiple projects will take place in several areas across the state to improve customers’ water and wastewater service. Aqua has detailed its planned spending by operating division.

• $221 million will be spent in its Southeastern Pennsylvania operating division – its most populated service area – which comprises parts of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties;

• $2.6 million in its Susquehanna operating division in Bradford County;

• $18.9 million will be spent throughout its White Haven operating division, which comprises parts of Wyoming, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Schuylkill, Susquehanna and Carbon counties;

• $10.9 million will be spent throughout its Honesdale operating division, which comprises parts of Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties;

• $19.2 million will be spent throughout its Roaring Creek operating division, which comprises parts of Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Snyder counties;

• $19.7 million will be spent throughout its Western Pennsylvania operating division, which comprises parts of Lawrence, Mercer, Forest, Crawford, Venango, Clarion, Warren, Clearfield and McKean counties.

Aqua’s announcement comes within weeks of Infrastructure Week, which is celebrated May 15 through 19, bringing attention to the nation’s infrastructure needs.

PETE BANNAN - DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA FILE PHOTO A building at ArcelorMittal’s Coatesville plant.