ICYMI: Sherrod Helps Bring 600 Steel Jobs Back to Ohio Valley, Supports American Manufacturers

COLUMBUS, OH – This week, because of Sherrod’s work to fix flawed Department of Energy regulations that hurt Ohio workers and American steel makers, Cleveland-Cliffs announced plans to establish a new transformer production facility in Weirton that will bring 600 jobs back to the facility that closed because of weak trade enforcement, benefitting Ohio workers.

Sherrod has led efforts to stand up for Ohio steelworkers, from fighting bad trade deals, to pushing back against harmful regulations from the administration, and pushing for accountability for foreign competitors who break trade laws and hurt Ohio workers.

Read / watch more about Cleveland Cliffs’ announcement below: 

WTRF: Sen. Brown applauds Cleveland-Cliffs opening facility in Weirton
Michelle Chavez – July 23, 2024

• Leaders around the region are showing their support after Cleveland-Cliffs’ announcement Monday that they’ll be building a 3-phase electrical transformer manufacturing plant in Weirton.
• U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said he has been pushing the Department of Energy to adjust a transformer rule that he said would have affected this type of investment.
• “They are fixing that rule, so several hundred people are going back to work in Weirton,” Brown said in a phone interview. “It’s my job always to advocate for Ohio workers. I always have. I always will.”
• “Our government let down these skilled, dedicated Steelworkers by failing to enforce our trade laws – but we never gave up working to bring steel jobs back to this mill,” Brown elaborated in a press release. “I’ll always fight for Ohio workers and the Ohio Valley, and I’ll always stand up to any administration’s misguided policy that hurts workers and manufacturers.”

The Parkersburg News and Sentinel: Energized: Cleveland-Cliffs bringing spark back to Weirton with transformer facility
Craig Howell – July 23, 2024

• In a morning release Monday, followed by an afternoon press conference featuring company, union and government officials, Cleveland-Cliffs announced its plans to establish an electrical distribution transformer production facility in a warehouse in the Half Moon Industrial Park.
• The project includes the creation of approximately 600 jobs and an investment of $150 million.
• The company has indicated steel for the transformers will be provided by the Butler Works facility. Vitello also offered thanks to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, all of whom sent representatives, for their continued support.

WTOV: Sherrod Fights for Ohio Steelworkers and Steel Industry

WTOV: “As Ohio U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown said Congress has moved to ‘fix some of the flawed energy rules.’ Now, as a result, Cleveland Cliffs can bring back these jobs and potentially hire back some who were laid off when the tin mill idled.”

Sherrod: “Almost always in a situation like this they bring the people, the people that were laid off get the first crack. Some people who were laid off might’ve moved to another community, some people who were laid off might have done something else. But, I think the first crack at these hundreds of jobs will be U.S.W. members that worked in the Weirton tin mill.”