HARRIMAN, Tenn. - The closing of a steel mill in Harriman will mean the loss of 72 jobs in East Tennessee.
A spokeswoman for ArcelorMittal LaPlace told The Knoxville News Sentinel that transportation costs are a major factor in the company's decision to close the plant.
Company spokeswoman Katie Patterson said the mill doesn't have a river port, so semi-finished steel billets must be trucked to it from 30 miles away, adding to production costs.
ArcelorMittal acquired the plant in 2008 when it bought Bayou Steel.
Patterson said employees at the Harriman facility will be laid off between March 31 and April 15.