America’s Backbone

Coatesville Steel Mill has Contributed to Nation’s Well-Being Since 1810

The United States was only 34 years old in 1810 when the Brandywine Iron Works and Nail Factory set up shop along its namesake creek in Coatesville, Pa.

That company, later known as Lukens Steel, would go on to help form the backbone of U.S. infrastructure and shipbuilding, contributing to the nation’s first iron-hull sea vessel and producing steel for some of the nation’s most famous structures, including the original World Trade Center and its replacement.

“Our steel is in infrastructure in every major city in this country,” said Fred Grumbine, vice president of Local 1165, which represents workers at the mill, now owned by Cleveland-Cliffs. The mill, about 40 miles west of Philadelphia, also contributed steel to the construction of the Seattle Space Needle, the St. Louis Arch and countless other notable projects. 

World Trade Center

When the World Trade Center’s twin towers collapsed following the 9/11 attacks, their structural steel supports, known as “trees,” were the only pieces left standing, Grumbine said.

Those massive steel beams, forged by USW members in 1969, returned to Coatesville in 2010 on a procession of flatbed trucks, a solemn event that local residents turned into both a memorial to the lives lost and a celebration of the strength of their hometown industry.

“It was a great tribute,” said Bill Sharp III, former Local 1165 president. “Steelworkers were proud to see that our product was still standing.”

That pride is on display at the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum, not far from the plant gates, where some of those steel beams are now the centerpiece of a moving 9/11 memorial.

“I’ll never forget that day,” said Clarence Smith, who was working in production at the plant that Tuesday morning in 2001 when the towers fell, and who now serves as a training coordinator at the facility. “We are proud of the fact that we are part of history.”

National Defense

While they rightly celebrate their past, Local 1165 members look forward to contributing to America’s future, said Local President Brandon Davies.

When a large section of Interstate 95 collapsed following a fire in Philadelphia in June 2023, it took less than two weeks for members to produce the steel needed to rebuild the heavily traveled highway.

Today, besides helping to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure, workers at the Coatesville steel mill also are a major contributor to the nation’s defense. Members manufacture steel plate used to make aircraft carriers, submarines, Humvees and other military equipment. That, too, is a source of pride for Local 1165 members.

“It gives us a sense of security, because we know that we rolled that right here in America,” said Stacey Jones, a USW member for 36 years who spent more than 30 years in the rolling mill, where she produced deck plates used in shipbuilding.

Safety First

Jones is now a safety representative, a job to which the company and the union share a commitment, she said.

In addition to identifying and eliminating workplace hazards, Jones said, her job includes making sure workers have necessary personal protective equipment, ensuring that work areas remain uncluttered, and that workers stay hydrated in an environment with intense heat generated by the mill’s electric arc furnace.

Perhaps the most important aspect of her job, Jones said, is educating members on the numerous ways in which they can contribute to making their workplace healthier and safer.

“It’s safety first, for the union and for the company,” Jones said.

Economic Engine

While championing worker safety, USW leaders in Coatesville also make sure members receive the strong wages, quality health care and secure retirements that are at the heart of the USW’s collective bargaining agreements.

“The benefits are great,” said 51-year member Jim Breitenbach.

Those wages and benefits make the mill and its 600-member work force a major driver of the local economy. Breitenbach and others say their jobs are some of the best in the area, thanks to the USW.

“There are more people trying to get in the plant gate than get out,” Davies said. “We are Steelworkers for a reason.”

The jobs at the Coatesville steel mill support countless others throughout the Southeastern Pennsylvania community, at industrial suppliers, restaurants, retail outlets, gas stations, hotels, auto dealers, health care facilities and elsewhere, said Smith, who noted that the mill also provides a stable tax base for schools and other community needs.

“It gives an economic boost to the county and to the state,” he said, pointing out that he has never missed a paycheck in 30 years on the job. “That benefits us, and it benefits our children.”

Community Fixture

Davies, who was born and raised in the Coatesville area, said he knows all of the workers at the mill after working there for more than 20 years. For him, the factory has been at the center of the community throughout his lifetime.

“No matter what school I went to, I always passed the mill on the way,” he said.

Local 1165 cemented its status as a fixture in the community through its support of local children’s sports teams, charity fundraisers, holiday toy drives and other community initiatives. The feeling of community exists inside the gates of the Coatesville steel mill as well, where USW members describe their co-workers as family.

“I grew up here,” said Jay Jacks, who has worked at the mill for more than 31 years. “It was like having 200 uncles.”

Sharp, a fourth-generation Steelworker, said his father also served as local president during his 46 years at the plant.

“When I was a kid, everybody worked at the mill,” he said. “I’m proud to follow in the family’s footsteps.”

From Hearth to EAF

In the company’s earliest days, workers used open-hearth furnaces to forge their products. Today, the facility’s modern electric arc furnace transforms scrap metal into molten steel that is rolled into plates for use in aircraft and heavy equipment in addition to meeting the nation’s military and infrastructure needs.

During his tenure, Sharp has worked for six owners, but through it all, the one constant has been the power of the USW.

“We’re still here,” he said. “And we’re still going strong.”