A proposed manufacturing facility in northeastern Ohio is reportedly aiming to reestablish domestic production of pig iron.
The president and CEO of Petmin USA, Bradley Doig, told the Ashtabula Star Beacon last month that nodular pig iron — an intermediate product used to produce metal castings for a wide range of industries — is currently imported for use in more than 1,900 foundries in the U.S.
The company, a subsidiary of a South African mining firm, proposed building the $474 million plant in Ashtabula, Ohio, located east of Cleveland along the Lake Erie coast. The Star Beacon reported that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing on the project last month.
The plant is expected to employ more than 100 workers producing some 425,000 tons of pig iron each year. It could begin operations as soon as 2021.
“Its key major foundry customers are located principally in the U.S.; however, a portion is expected to be shipped to Europe, too,” Doig told the paper.
He added that Petmin selected the site after considering more than a dozen alternatives, primarily due to its logistical advantages and its proximity to both raw materials and markets.
The project would include equipment installation as well as wastewater treatment and material handling systems and nearby roadways. Construction is slated to create hundreds of temporary jobs at the site.
City officials said the project is likely to secure both state and local government incentives. The state EPA is accepting comments on the company’s air permit application through Thursday.
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