By John W. Miller
PITTSBURGH-- U.S. Steel Corp. (click here) said it would temporarily close plants in Texas and Pennsylvania and blamed illegally-priced imports, raising the volume on trade disputes with China and South Korea.
The steelmaker said Monday it would indefinitely idle plants in Bellville, Texas, and McKeesport, Pa., that make steel pipe and tube for the oil and gas industries, affecting 260 workers.
TMK Ipsco, which is among the largest U.S. producers of such lucrative tubular steel, is considering similar production cutbacks as well.
The U.S. Steel closures require 60 days advance notice under federal law so are scheduled for early August. That is also when a final decision is expected from U.S. trade officials on whether to impose tariffs on steel from South Korea, whose steel exports to the U.S. increased 73% in the first four months of this year from a year earlier....
