Major blow for Sand Springs

[roscoe]

Looks like the steel mill in Sand Springs is set to close..I know at one time they where the largest employer in Sand Springs...

[SXSW]

That's unfortunate, maybe they can somehow keep it open with help from the city or state.  Sure the economy is bad now but they could need that steel mill when things pick up.  If it does close though I hope they clean up the site.

[sgrizzle]

It's a definite, they are closing.

[godboko71]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090609_11_0_TheGer328123

Hope Sands Springs Railway makes it through relatively unscathed.

[waterboy]

My guess is they mothball it till the economy picks up. Doubt they'll spend the money to dismantle it and reclaim the land. That would be nice though.

Tough break. But the air will immediately smell better.

[Composer]

Too bad for Sand Springs.

[sgrizzle]

My bet is shutdown then sell off.

[RecycleMichael]

Steel is a fad...3,000 years max.

Move on.

[cannon_fodder]

My bet is shutdown then sell off.

I hope so.  Those were good manufacturing jobs that supported other jobs.  Truckers, suppliers, and the associated services for 300 workers.  Not to mention providing steel products for area fab shops.

That and steel mills (and foundries) are inherently cool.  Just huge industrial complexes.  Very turn of the century feeling.

But one has to wonder how they squandered the good times that were just 6 months ago?  Commodity prices were through the roof.  Did they over invest in assets?  Under invest?  People need to figure out that during the boom times you need to plan for the lien times.

[Ibanez]

You can take this with a grain of salt, but I was talking to a friend of mine last night who's father retired from the plant when it was still Sheffield.

She was telling me that people who still work there are telling her father that this is a union busting maneuver.

[sgrizzle]

You can take this with a grain of salt, but I was talking to a friend of mine last night who's father retired from the plant when it was still Sheffield.

She was telling me that people who still work there are telling her father that this is a union busting maneuver.

That's just wishful thinking from union employees.

[sgrizzle]

Update: Looks like the plant will be mothballed with the hopes sometime in the future it's economically viable to restart.

[sauerkraut]

Update: Looks like the plant will be mothballed with the hopes sometime in the future it's economically viable to restart.

That's bad news, Mothballing seems to turn buildings into hollow shells that slowly crumble and end up being torn down. I read a story on another forum  about bulldozing huge areas of Flint & Detroit Michigan because of all the decaying buildings and homes.

[roscoe]

From what I hear this place will be a vacant lot in 6 months..

[MichaelBates]

That's bad news, Mothballing seems to turn buildings into hollow shells that slowly crumble and end up being torn down. I read a story on another forum  about bulldozing huge areas of Flint & Detroit Michigan because of all the decaying buildings and homes.

Real mothballing involves weatherproofing the building and securing it against unauthorized entry with the intention of restoring it at some point in the future. What you're talking about is abandonment, allowing buildings to fall into ruin.