United States Steel Corp. announced it is taking further steps to consolidate operations to meet customer demand, including temporarily idling three facilities. The facilities that will be idled over the next several weeks include: Keetac, an iron-ore mining and pelletizing facility in Keewatin, Minn.; Great Lakes Works near Detroit, Mich.; and Granite City Works near St. Louis, Mo. U.S. Steel plans to temporarily concentrate production at Mon Valley Works near Pittsburgh, Pa.; Gary Works in Gary, Ind.; Fairfield Works near Birmingham, Ala.; and Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke, Ontario.

Approximately 3,500 workers will be affected by the idling of the plants. U.S. Steel Chairman and CEO John Surma said: “We believe that our difficult decision to temporarily consolidate our production is a necessary response to current market conditions.”