Steel Stories by U. S. Steel · 2026-08-05 · 21 min
Key moments - from our scoring
Substance score
49 / 100
Five dimensions, 20 points each
Chad Wieland describes the strategic importance of US Steel's planned hot strip mill at Edgar Thompson in Mon Valley, Pennsylvania, and its ripple effects across the operation and workforce. The new mill will replace 1938-era equipment and enable production of thinner, higher-value products like automotive-grade advanced high strength steel, roofing materials, and appliance components - markets currently inaccessible to slab-only producers. Wieland, a chemical engineer hired a decade ago after a chance fly-fishing encounter with then-CEO Mario Longhi, walks through concurrent upgrades: a second LMF (ladle metallurgy facility) for better temperature control, caster improvements including hydraulic oscillators for better slab surface quality, a slag granulator to monetize waste, and new steel ladles with advanced stirring capability. He emphasizes how the partnership with Nippon Steel brings research depth (spending 10 times what all US steelmakers combined spend annually) and secondary continuous-improvement initiatives beyond the flagship project. The episode tackles talent challenges: how uncertainty previously deterred hires, but renewed optimism is filling positions and changing retention from "why work in a dying industry" to multi-decade careers. Wieland stresses that success requires work ethic, dedication, willingness to learn, and people-leadership skills - and that a high school diploma suffices; pathways exist from union roles to management.
A hot strip mill rolls thick slabs (currently 8 - 9 inches) into thin-gauge steel coil that can be shaped and formed for high-value markets like automotive, roofing, and appliances. Edgar Thompson's current equipment lacks this capability, limiting it to selling slabs to third parties; the new mill opens direct access to advanced high strength steel and other premium segments.
A second LMF (ladle metallurgy facility) for refined temperature control and alloy management, caster upgrades including hydraulic oscillators for better surface quality, a slag granulator to recycle furnace byproduct into concrete aggregate (generating revenue instead of landfill cost), and new steel ladles with advanced stirring and freeboard for advanced high strength steel capability.
Morale has improved significantly; the investment signals long-term commitment and shifted sentiment from "steel is dying" to confidence in decades-long viability. Hiring and retention have both improved as uncertainty cleared, with more job applicants and employees planning multi-decade careers rather than temporary roles.
No; union workers with high school education can progress into management roles over 15 - 20 years. Success depends on work ethic, dedication to learning the process and people, and willingness to continuously improve - not formal credentials.
Nippon spends 10 times what all US steelmakers combined spend on research annually, enabling rapid problem-solving (answers to technical questions within one day), access to proven technologies not yet deployed at Edgar Thompson, and ongoing secondary projects that reduce costs and improve quality independent of the hot mill launch.
Our reviewer’s read on each dimension, with quotes from the episode.
The episode provides some operational specifics about the hot strip mill project and its impact on Mon Valley Works (caster upgrades, LMF additions, slag granulator), but much of the content consists of familiar organizational change narratives - morale, retention, hiring challenges - without novel or non-obvious insights. The technical content, while concrete, is largely explanatory rather than analytically rich.
We're casting an 8 inch thick slab bearing widths from M33 inches up to 67 inches. That product really has no market besides selling it to somebody else that could roll it into hot band.
We're getting a second lmf, it's a secondary processing facility after the steel is tapped, um, in the ladle, you refine a little bit further, you can get better temperature control.
The episode largely rehashes standard corporate investment messaging: a dying industry revitalization story, employee morale tied to capital projects, retention through visibility of future prospects. The framing of the hot strip mill as a turnaround catalyst is industry-expected and lacks contrarian or first-principles thinking. No novel business model, strategy, or counterintuitive insights emerge.
with the new hot strip mill and the technology advances that it has, I mean, the Mon Valley is here to stay for a very long time.
when everything was up in the air, it was tough getting people, uh, both frontline, uh, managers and union employees, the uncertainty that was surrounding it. But now it's definitely got a lot more applications and we can fill a bunch of these positions.
Chad Wieland is a credible operational practitioner with 10 years at US Steel and current responsibility as a process coordinator in the BOP shop - a real decision-maker involved in the hot strip mill implementation. However, he is not a C-suite executive or the primary architect of strategic decisions; he offers a mid-level operator's perspective rather than a senior leader's strategic view. His experience and insights are relevant but limited in scope.
Currently a process coordinator in Edgar Thompson Bop Shop.
Everything we do relies on the people and being able to coach them, lead them is very critical.
The episode includes concrete technical details - 8-inch to 9-inch slab thickness, mechanical to hydraulic oscillator upgrades, slag granulator producing 3x3 to 4x4 inch rocks, dual LMF capability - and references to customer product categories (roofing, appliances, automotive, structural steel). However, it lacks quantitative data on investment size, timeline specifics, production capacity gains, cost savings, revenue impact, or customer-specific examples. Claims about competitive advantage and market access remain largely unsubstantiated.
We're casting an 8 inch thick slab bearing widths from M33 inches up to 67 inches.
We have 3 by 3 size, 4 by 4 inch size, pretty big rocks. Pulverize that, make it very fine and then we should be able to sell it to concrete aggregate
The host asks logical follow-up questions (e.g., clarifying which capabilities limit automotive steel production) and occasionally probes deeper (e.g., morale impact, retention dynamics). However, many questions are softball or self-answering, and the host rarely challenges claims or pushes for nuance. There is limited productive disagreement or skeptical pressure; the conversation reads as collaborative validation rather than rigorous exploration.
Yeah, the caster is currently capable of having it. Bob shop definitely capable of doing it. Hot strip mill seems to be the limitation.
And has that had any impact on your ability to hire, to keep people, to keep people engaged?
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
A new hot strip mill will transform how steel is made in Pittsburgh's Mon Valley. But what will it mean for the people who make it? In Part 2 of this special Steel Stories series, host Ethan Epstein speaks with Chad Whelan, a process coordinator at U. S. Steel's Edgar Thomson Plant, about how U. S. Steel’s investments are changing the outlook for employees, customers and the surrounding community. Chad shares how new technology, expanded capabilities and major upgrades across the steelmaking process could create a safer, more competitive operation and new opportunities for the people behind it. This is the story of more than a new mill. It is about an investment in strong careers and a future being built in Pittsburgh's Mon Valley. Steel Stories by U. S. Steel is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Speaker A: Welcome to Steel Stories by US Steel. In this podcast, we go beyond the headlines, bringing you insights, ideas and stories shaping how steel is made, used, and reimagined. Through conversations with industry leaders and innovators, we explore what it takes to keep forging the future of America.
Speaker B: Welcome to Steel Stories by US Steel. I am your host, Ethan Epstein. I'm joined today by Chad Wieland. Chad, thanks for joining us.
Speaker C: Pleasure to be here.
Speaker B: We just interviewed Keith Watson, who's, uh, our head of engineering, and he told me that he became an engineer, went into the steel industry because it was his father's dying wish. Now I understand you might even have a better story for why you joined US Steel. So can you top Keith? Why are you at US Steel? I think I can, yeah.
Speaker C: All right, so my junior senior year studying chemical engineering at Penn State, I'm guiding some guys fly fishing down in Spruce Creek. And I see, uh, a couple guys pick them, I take them out. Guy says we get to talk. And he says, hey, apply to my company. We're always looking for engineers. So reluctantly, I take his card, put in my pocket. I got a couple opportunities at the time. After we're done, I pull the card out like, hey, this guy's CEO, US Steel, Mario Longhi. I guess it won't hurt to send him an email and apply quality assurance. Job opened up, sent him an email, there we go. I got hired.
Speaker B: Of course, Mario left not that long after that. I'm not saying there's any causality there. I'm just kidding. No, that's, that's. It's always good to make that kind of personal connection with the C suite, I would imagine, right? Yeah. Uh, so you've been here with us for what, about 10 years now, right?
Speaker C: Around 10.
Speaker B: And actually even before we get to that. So where are you now and what are you doing now at US uh Steel?
Speaker C: Currently a process coordinator in Edgar Thompson Bop Shop.
Speaker B: Right. And that's part of Mont Valley Works here in, here in Pittsburgh. So 10 years have passed. That, that can be quite a while, actually. How would you say your vantage point on, uh, U.S. steel has changed over that decade?
Speaker C: So when I started New, new to Steel, first job out of college, very focused on what I had to do in my role and the day to day operations. And then as you progress through things, really focused on how all the pieces work together. We're always talking to the business planning group, the quality group, and there's too many parts that move together, Safety department. You really get a good understanding of all the other Areas that impact production. So it's really opened my eyes the last few years working in the operation department from when I started in quality
Speaker B: and down at Edgar Thompson. They're about to do a big project of course, which is put in a new hot strip mill replacing the one that's from 1938 at Irvine. For someone that doesn't really understand the process for making steel, finishing steel, selling it in the market, why does a hot strip mill matter? I mean in the most basic terms?
Speaker C: Well, we make, I'm in the liquid steel side. We send it to the caster. They're casting an 8 inch thick slab bearing widths from M33 inches up to 67 inches. That product really has no market besides selling it to somebody else that could roll it into hot band. So what the hot band gets you very thin gauge. You can shape it, do forming a lot of good things with it that you can do with a slab and then it really opens you up in the many markets that slab production can just limit you. So I think hot mill opens up into more product lines.
Speaker B: Can you give some examples of those? Like what applications would steel have once it's so.
Speaker C: Yeah, roofing, Mon Valley appliance, lot of appliance stuff there, structural steel, things of that nature. We do a little bit automotive, but most of that's other plants.
Speaker B: And from what I understand, you know, the question of autumn, like we should be able to play more in automotive with the new hot strip mill, is that right?
Speaker C: Yeah, the caster is currently capable of having it. Bob shop definitely capable of doing it. Hot strip mill seems to be the limitation.
Speaker B: Yeah, that was actually going to be my next question. So when people talk about sort of the limited capabilities of Monvallet works, that's not about the steel side, right?
Speaker C: Um, not necessarily. I mean we do have some restrictions at the pop shop, but overall we could make small runs of the advanced high strength and probably some automotive. But it seems to be the hot mill from what I've gathered. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B: And of course we'll be upgrading our product capabilities but we'll also retain that cost advantage we have in terms of the coke oven gas too. So hopefully it'll be sort of the best of both worlds, I would think. You know, you've been here in Mon Valley for again a decade. What do you think that this investment is going to mean for not just the facility itself, but kind of the community surrounding it?
Speaker C: Uh, I think the investment definitely puts was the showing that we are here to stay for a very long time. I Mean, when I started, everybody was telling you, why'd you come to the Mon Valley and work in steel? I mean, you should have went somewhere else. It's a dying industry. Well, with the new hot strip mill and the technology advances that it has, I mean, the Mon Valley is here to stay for a very long time.
Speaker B: And do you think that that change in sentiment has been felt in the company? Like, how has morale shifted? I guess I would say morale is very good. Yeah.
Speaker C: I mean, along with the hot, uh, strip, all those other projects coming along, the Bob shop, caster and the guys, frontline guys, I mean, the community members we talk to, everybody seems to be very optimistic that the place is staying around for a long time.
Speaker B: And has that had any impact on your ability to hire, to keep people, to keep people engaged?
Speaker C: Definitely seems like it's helped. I mean, when everything was up in the air, it was tough getting people, uh, both frontline, uh, managers and union employees, the uncertainty that was surrounding it. But now it's definitely got a lot more applications and we can fill a bunch of these positions.
Speaker B: And from a leadership perspective, I mean, the hot strip mill won't be operational for several more years. So how do you keep people engaged during this, what will probably be a pretty stressful transition period? Yeah, how do you keep people energized for that?
Speaker C: I mean, safety meetings, we're always talking about, like, reiterating the point that, hey, this stuff is coming, it's going to happen. It might not seem like it is. A lot of the background work is being done right now, and we see engineers in there all the time surveying. And I think seeing those groups of individuals around, the guys are very engaged and they're definitely on board with it.
Speaker B: Now, you started in quality, so you obviously have a perspective on what the customer's looking for, I would think. I guess my first question would be, was like, what does the customer want out of us? What creates a healthy relationship between us and them?
Speaker C: The interactions we have with the customers. Even from my side, I wasn't directly involved with the finishing end of it, where they're more engaged with the customers. But when we were making slab products, trade slabs or interworks slabs, you're talking with the other quality departments, whether it's in your organization or, uh, the other organizations we're selling to, always bouncing ideas back and forth. I mean, they're looking for a very sustainable product that is very consistent and that you are willing to make changes to advance and continuously improve the product that you're giving them. And I think With a hosh drip mill, it's definitely going to be a game changer.
Speaker B: And are there any other changes? They could be like process changes or actual like investment changes that are happening as a result of the Nippon Partnership. I mean we talk a lot about the hot strip mill, but what else is going on?
Speaker C: So, so big one slag granulator. Yeah, that's coming along. The ones directly related to the hot strip mill. Caster's got a lot of upgrades coming. Got a. Currently we have a mechanical oscillator on both strands that's going to get upgraded to a hydraulic uh, oscillator that's going to improve quality from the slab standpoint. Then it'll improve hot band quality. A lot better surface conditions, corner cracks, stuff like that. They're also changing from a 8 inch to a 9 inch slab. Increased throughput per minute. At the caster steel shop where um, I'm at getting a second lmf, it's a secondary processing facility after the steel is tapped, um, in the ladle, you refine a little bit further, you can get better temperature control. Halloy the steel a little bit better. So that's coming. So two LMFs be a big game changer. And then we're getting a whole new fleet of steel ladles as well. That'll give us the capability to really put our foot in the door of the advanced high strength steels. Second stirring plug, more freeboard capability. So a lot of good things are coming with the hot strip mill.
Speaker B: To the other groups you mentioned the slag granulator. And I think that was actually the first project that we got fully approved after the partnership. For those that aren't familiar with like what that is. Can you educate our audience?
Speaker C: Yeah, a little bit of an idea. So the VLAS furnace always makes a byproduct that we just landfill and it costs us to landfill it. So we will now be taking that, turning it into very small size. We have 3 by 3 size, 4 by 4 inch size, pretty big rocks. Pulverize that, make it very fine and then we should be able to sell it to concrete aggregate and uh, actually get money back out of it instead of costing us for landfill.
Speaker B: That's right. I think we can even give it a more like PR savvy name of slag recycler sometimes too. Right. Like that's more put a little green sheen on that there. So there's obviously disruption involved in any big capital project. Now disruption is better than decline, so we'll take it. Right. But that means new Equipment, it means new processes, it means retraining, it means hiring. There's a lot. Right. And of course, before that, there was deal uncertainty, so we've talked a little bit about it. But how do people deal with all that big change happening?
Speaker C: We're working on that, uh, now. So with the engineers just being there, not a lot of big movement yet. But once we get all the permits and we start really breaking ground and moving forward, especially in my area for the second lmf, you're going to have big disruption, Right. So it's going to be keeping the guys focused and making sure that they know what's going on in their areas, keeping everybody safe, because there's going to be a lot of people in there. From the retraining standpoint, we've got a lot of work on our hands. I mean, at lmf, we're going to have to train a few people, get staffed up, and it's going to take a little bit of time. We have a good action plan together. I mean, once we know we start breaking ground, we have a good idea that, hey, we got to get a couple people here and start training them, get everything ready to go before that first coil is, uh, ready to come off the hot mill.
Speaker B: I mean, you've said it yourself that when you went into steel, people like, uh, ah, it's like a dying industry, don't do steel. Like, do you still find that challenge in trying to bring good people into the industry?
Speaker C: It hasn't been too bad lately. I mean, you get a lot of good young guys that are coming in. Everybody's starting at the furnace, so they get a few years under their belt. They come down to the bob shop, they got a good idea, and they're really willing to learn and help improve the process. So we've had a good group of guys come through our shop.
Speaker B: Well, if there's ever any trouble, maybe we can send Dave Burritt with some business cards out on a fishing trip and start passing them around. You know, clearly that's the right approach. There's going to be a lot of new technologies as part of the new Hofstra mill, new ladles and everything. Right. It's not just that the, like, equipment itself is going to have, like, all sorts of sensors and cool AI applications and everything. What would you say excites you most about the new toys?
Speaker C: So the technology side, I mean, a lot of the technology we're bringing in and upgrades are going to make things a lot safer. I think safety is definitely the forefront of our Thought when we think about which way we want to go with some of these products, I know like new slide gates come with ladle when we're doing that and we have antiquated system from what the Castro was put in in 92. So getting that kind of upgrade is going to be a game changer from the safety standpoint. And then it's also going to improve the quality. I mean we're already incorporating AI in many things we do, but I can see a lot of areas where we can further that and get some AI in cameras catch conditions that we do not see coming now that we will be able to spot in the future.
Speaker B: And I would think that when you came into the company 10 years ago, the vision of like the long term future here probably looked a little different. Well, I'll ask you personally, did you expect it to be a lifelong career when you came here?
Speaker C: No, not really. I was thinking hopefully I get 10 years, 10, 15 years. That'd be good. Now with what? The hot strip mill like you said, the coke oven, gas and being the low cost provider. I see. I don't plan on not retiring from here.
Speaker B: And do you think that that's widespread, that people intend to stay now?
Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, I would definitely feel that way.
Speaker B: Just seems like there was a sort of air negativity around the future of the valley before this. Right. So that must be a mindset shift for people. Yeah. And obviously you must see new opportunities then opening up. It's not just that it's going to retain current people, but I would imagine it will also create new opportunities for people as well. Right? Yeah. You got 10 years under your belt, rising up the ranks. What skills, what mindset do you think people need to succeed in an industry like steel?
Speaker C: Good work ethic is definitely key. Dedication and willingness to learn. And then when I say dedication, I don't, I mean don't spend your life there, but you definitely want to understand the process, understand the people, be willing to learn everything in both of those categories because it's a people driven workforce. I mean everything we do relies on the people and being able to coach them, lead them is very critical. So I said dedication, uh, the uh, willingness to continually improve like we're seeing right now. I mean you don't want to be stale, you want to always have a vision of what's the next thing we can incorporate to make this place better, even if it's small.
Speaker B: Definitely goes a long way since there's real challenges involved in steel. Like it can be physically demanding job, obviously we obviously put safety first, but it's not without risk in certain ways, too. What do you think are the personality traits just that you observed? What are the personality traits of someone? What's the draw for people into steel?
Speaker C: I think you gotta be a little crazy to like it, but, uh, I think you get it in your blood once you see it. You can tell when somebody starts and they like it. They just. They have it in their blood. They like being around the atmosphere and the environment. I mean, there's nothing like it. I can't imagine anything else like it.
Speaker B: Yeah. And, you know, we got a lot of people graduating college here in Pittsburgh, for example. People come out of CMU or Pitt or something. What would you say that, you know, we've dealt with, I don't want to say an image problem, but steel hasn't been like, the sexiest industry for people coming out. Right. I mean, what would you say to them to try to get them to think about, hey, there's some cool stuff going on.
Speaker C: So chemical engineer background. Yeah. Like, it's one of the wildest processes, especially in the bob shop. I've 10 years. There's still stuff that comes up every day that you've never seen in 10 years, and you've come up with new ways to figure out how to solve problems every day. And from the quality side of it, my first background there, it's like this would happen, the same thing happened, and you still don't have a good understanding. So there's always room to improve and understand and learn. And it's just a great process and a great atmosphere to be around.
Speaker B: So you have a background as a chemical engineer. We just spoke, uh, to Keith Watson, who's an electrical engineer. But not everyone needs a fancy engineering degree or actually any college degree to work in steel, isn't that right?
Speaker C: Yeah, uh, that's right. So we have a lot of people, high school education, come in, work as a union guy. I mean, we've got managers that have spent 15, 20 years, start all the way at the bottom. You work your way up through my one counterpart, he started in union and he spent 10, 15 years, became a manager. I mean, the possibilities and the outcomes, they're kind of limitless. I mean, you can go anywhere even without the degree.
Speaker B: One of the things that struck me when I first started to learn about steel making was how, like, the ingredients can kind of be different every time. Right? Like that Coke, that, uh, so it's not just the same recipe every single time. Right. Like, there's a greater Degree of variability than I think people.
Speaker C: Yeah, it's not put X amount of rocks in this time.
Speaker B: Exactly.
Speaker C: Do the same thing next time. Uh, it's consistent, but you have challenges between every batch that sometimes you just don't see it coming up this way.
Speaker B: Yep. All right, so 10 years here. Let's look into the crystal ball. 10 years from now, if our investments have been successful, what will the Valley look like?
Speaker C: I think we'll be making a very good product that we'll be able to get our foot in any industry in this deal, any customer base that we want to, um, advanced high strength steel, automotive. I think we're looking at further upgrades potentially from what we're getting now. And I think we'll have a foothold in the steel industry for however many years we want to keep the place operational. I believe we'll be very competitive from a cost standpoint. There's really nothing stopping us at this point once this hot shrimp mill gets put in.
Speaker B: So, you know, they've been calling the Nucor mill the Valley Killer. Maybe we should call us the new Core Killer.
Speaker C: That's a good name.
Speaker B: Yeah. All right, I'll take it.
Speaker C: Yeah.
Speaker B: You know, this has been really, I think, educational, helpful for people. I mean, is there anything else you think that our audience should know about these investments, about what the future here looks like? Just anything that we haven't touched on that you think is important?
Speaker C: I think a lot of good things are coming. If anybody is interested and even has a thought of coming to steel, it's a good place to be, it's a good industry to be in right now. And I think for the next 50 years, 100 years, there's always a need for Steve. Right? I mean, we'll be in there, we'll be world class. We currently are world class. And this just solidifies us even further to be world class for decades, centuries to come.
Speaker B: Actually, that makes me think. One last question I would like to ask is about your interactions and if they're limited, that's fine. But I'm curious to hear about how it's been with Nippon, how, how the day to day has changed or maybe it hasn't. Just I'm just curious, uh, not a
Speaker C: whole lot from the day to day. We do have a dispatcher in the BOP shop. Very good, very knowledgeable. And if you need a problem solved and do you have any questions, they are great to work with. I mean, you give, give our dispatcher a question today, he has you an answer by tomorrow. I mean, from what I'VE understood with how Nippon has research teams.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker C: They will help you out very quickly, very effectively, and there's no stone unturned. And even with those guys, there's a lot of secondary projects that are going on in the backgrounds to make minor changes, help improve cost, help improve the quality. So those guys are really helpful from that side of it.
Speaker B: That's a really good point because these improvements aren't just about like, oh, in X number of years, we're going to have a new hostrum. It's that there's incremental improvements happening in the meantime. Right. Yeah.
Speaker C: And they have, they have technologies we don't use right now.
Speaker B: Yeah.
Speaker C: And we're looking to incorporate a lot of that that they have. It'll be a challenge to incorporate some of that, but it's not a challenge we're backing down from. Yeah, we're definitely looking forward to the ideas and that they can give us.
Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, their research and innovation capability, you know, it's the one statistic that always stuck out to me because, well, for one, we repeated it all the time during the deal. But it's also impressive is they spend 10 times as much each year on research as all of the American steel companies combined in a single year.
Speaker C: I can see that.
Speaker B: So it's. That's a lot of depth and what an amazing resource we now have. Right. Hey, well, thanks so much for your time. You have more important things to do probably than appear on podcasts, so I really appreciate you taking some time.
Speaker C: I appreciate you having me on.
Speaker B: All right. Thank you.
Speaker C: Thank you.
Speaker A: Steel Stories is produced by US Steel. The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the of US Steel. To learn more about our, uh, people, our capabilities, and where Steel is headed Next, visit us steel.com you can find Steel Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss what's ahead. Thanks for listening.
