Major developments today in Canada's steel industry

There was no lack of news today from the Canadian steel sector.

First, United States Steel Corporation announced that former Saultite David J. Rintoul, has been named president - U. S. Steel Canada, responsible for the company's former Stelco operations.

Second, U.S. Steel then announced temporary shutdowns at former its Stelco works in Hamilton and Nanticoke, Ontario, affecting 1,500 employees.

Third, SooToday.com's Carol Martin has learned that Tenaris will be announcing a temporary shutdown of its Calgary operations, effective March 16.

Tenaris's Algoma Tubes workers will not be affected by that action, and no further shutdowns in the Sault are currently planned. The following are abridged versions of two statements issued today by United States Steel Corporation:

************************* U. S. Steel further consolidates operations for greater efficiency

PITTSBURGH - (March 3) - United States Steel Corporation announced today that further consolidation is necessary to maximize efficiency while meeting customer demands.

Operations to be temporarily idled over the next several weeks are the finishing and coking operations at Hamilton Works in Hamilton, Ontario, and the steelmaking and finishing operations at Lake Erie Works near Nanticoke, Ontario.

Coking operations at Lake Erie Works will continue production.

Approximately 1,500 employees will be affected.

Earlier today, U. S. Steel representatives met with federal and provincial officials as well as representatives of the United Steelworkers at these facilities to notify them of the temporary idling.

U. S. Steel plans to continue to temporarily concentrate production at Mon Valley Works near Pittsburgh, Pa.; Gary Works in Gary, Ind.; and Fairfield Works near Birmingham, Ala.

"The difficult decision to continue to temporarily consolidate our production, we believe, is a necessary response to current market conditions," said U. S. Steel Chairman and CEO John Surma.

************************* U. S. Steel announces management changes at U. S. Steel Canada subsidiary

PITTSBURGH - (March 2) - United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) today announced two management changes at its U. S. Steel Canada Inc. subsidiary.

David J. Rintoul, who currently serves as general manager of U. S. Steel's Great Lakes Works near Detroit, Mich., has been named president - U. S. Steel Canada.

Anton Jura has been named general manager-Canadian operations.

Rintoul and Jura will assume the responsibilities formerly held by Douglas R. Matthews, who was recently named vice president - tubular operations at U. S. Steel and president of the company's U. S. Steel Tubular Products, Inc. subsidiary. Rintoul reports to Anthony R. Bridge, vice president-operations, and Jura will report to Rintoul. The appointments were effective March 1.

"Dave and Anton are steel industry veterans whose management skills and experience across a variety of disciplines will help us build on the progress we've made at U. S. Steel Canada under the leadership of Doug Matthews," said U. S. Steel Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John H. Goodish.

Rintoul, 51, and a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, will add management oversight for all U. S. Steel Canada operations to his existing responsibilities at Great Lakes Works.

He brought nearly 30 years of steel industry experience with him when he joined U. S. Steel in July 2007 as general manager-Granite City Works in Granite City, Illinois.

He began his steelmaking career in 1979 in plate and strip rolling and finishing operations at Algoma Steel Corporation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and rose through increasingly responsible assignments to the position of superintendent.

In 1993, he joined Rouge Steel Corporation in Dearborn, Mich., as superintendent - cold mill.

Rintoul moved to Acme Steel Company in Riverdale, Illinois, in 1995 as manager - hot strip mill at the company's compact strip plant.

He became general manager-compact strip plant in 1997 and general manager - steel manufacturing in 1999, a position he held until he was named vice president - operations at North Star BlueScope Steel in 2001.

In 2005, he became vice president-operations at BlueScope's Butler Manufacturing Company in Kansas City, Missouri, a position he held until he joined U. S. Steel.

Rintoul advanced to general manager of Great Lakes Works in March 2008 and is responsible for day-to-day operations at U. S. Steel's second largest integrated operation in North America, which has an annual raw steelmaking capability of 3.8 million net tons and is located in Ecorse and River Rouge, Michigan.

Rintoul earned an associate's degree in mechanical engineering technology from Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in 1979.

He graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, in 1983 and received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame in 2006.

Rintoul will be based in the Detroit area.

As general manager - Canadian operations, Jura, 44, and originally from Bardejov in the Slovak Republic, will oversee day-to-day operations at U. S. Steel Canada's two integrated steelmaking facilities: Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke, Ontario, which has an annual raw steelmaking capability of 2.6 million net tons, and Hamilton Works in Hamilton, Ontario, which is capable of producing 2.3 million net tons of steel per year.

Jura began his professional career in 1987 as a technology foreman in the metallurgical ceramics plant VSZ Keramika, owned by VSZ, the Slovak steelmaking company purchased by U. S. Steel in November 2000 and renamed U. S. Steel Kosice (USSK).

Over the next nine years, he held increasingly responsible positions at the metallurgical ceramics plant and became general manager-VSZ Keramika in May 1994.

In June 1996, Jura was named to the executive board of VSZ a.s. and concurrently vice president for strategic planning.

In April 1998, he became director of the joint venture VSZ-U. S. Steel, s.r.o.

When U. S. Steel acquired VSZ in November 2000, he was appointed vice president for human resources at USSK.

In July 2003, he was appointed vice president for strategic implementation and held that position until December 2006, when he advanced to his most recent post, general manager-processed products, at U. S. Steel's Pittsburgh headquarters.

Jura graduated from the Technical University in Kosice, Faculty of Metallurgy in 1987.

Between 1996 and 2000, he participated in the Weekend Executive Master of Business Administration course at the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and earned a master's degree in business administration.

Jura, his wife, Dana, and their son will relocate from Pittsburgh to Hamilton.

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