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Not too many years ago, steel mills up and down the Ohio Valley employed tens of thousands of workers, providing jobs from Weirton to Hannibal that raised families and drove this region's economy.
Much of that heavy industry is now gone, with slightly more than 1,000 workers still employed locally by the steel industry. That soon will decrease by nearly 300 following Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. announcement late last week that it would be closing the Mountain State Carbon coke plant in Brooke County.
The closure, which is set to take place in the second quarter, will impact 288 workers, though the company says all of them will be offered opportunities at other Cleveland-Cliffs facilities.
"We have been recruiting at all of our facilities. Depending on where they want to be, we have many opportunities," Cleveland-Cliffs spokeswoman Pat Persico said.
That's good to hear, but it does mean that many if not all those workers will have to relocate outside the area at a time when population loss in our region is a real concern. The departure of the business and its workers also will be a hit to the local economy.
In detailing why the 105-year-old plant will be closing, Cleveland-Cliffs cited a changing company philosophy of using scrap metal hot briquetted iron in making steel, which produces lower carbon dioxide emissions than coke, which is made from coal. The company said this will allow Cleveland-Cliffs to meet its goal of reducing emissions by 20% by 2030.
It's hard to see this once-proud steelmaking region lose another piece of its history. Local economic development officials have their work cut out for them in turning things around.