McLouth Steel, Gibraltar Plant
In 1954 McLouth announced the construction of a cold rolling facility in Gibraltar, Michigan, close to the Trenton Plant. This facility has a four-stand continuous cold rolling strip mill, annealing furnaces, two skin pass finishing mills and other ancillary equipment for further processing of cold rolled steel coils. The McLouth Steel Company Gibraltar plant was one of the largest annealing complexes at the time it was built.
There was a major fire that destroyed most of the pickling tower in 1970. The plant was operated under Detroit Cold Rolling (a subsidiary of Detroit Steel) from 1996 after the McLouth sale until it was later sold to Steel Rolling Holdings in 2006. The McLouth Steel Company Gibraltar plant has since been restarted by SRH.
The Gibraltar Cold Mill serves as the finishing facility for steel coils, focusing on refining the surface, reducing thickness, and tempering the metal for customer use.
Before cold rolling, the steel must be “pickled” to remove oxidation (scale). The Tandem Mill is where the primary reduction of steel thickness occurs through a continuous series of rollers. After that, the steel is annealed and tempered; meaning it is softened and smoothed. The final stage involves cutting and shaping the steel to specific customer orders.
| Feature | Trenton Plant (Iron & Steelmaking) | Gibraltar Mill (Cold Finishing) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Create raw steel slabs from iron ore/scrap. | Refine steel into thin, smooth, shippable coils. |
| Key Equipment | Blast furnaces, oxygen process vessels, casters. | Tandem mills, annealing furnaces, slitters. |
| Material State | Molten metal and hot red-hot slabs. | Cold steel at room temperature. |
| Chemical Process | Ironmaking (slag/sinter) and steelmaking. | Pickling (acid baths to remove scale). |
| Final Products | Thick slabs and hot-rolled coils. | Thin-gauge sheets, slit coils, and flat sheets. |
Steelmaking equipment, massive and complex, requires the skills of many people such as millwrights, pipefitters, carpenters, welders, and various craftsmen who perform necessary maintenance and repair work. Others behind the steelmaking scenes who contribute greatly to steel production are those employed in the Operations, Production and Supervising Departments.
Boilerhouse/Powerhouse:
There is high asbestos exposure to asbestos covered steam pipes, block insulation and boiler jackets.
- Boilerhouse/Powerhouse Job Descriptions:
- Boiler operator: Inspects and operates boilers.
- Water Tender: Works under the direction of boiler operator, monitors the high-pressure steam equipment.
- Boiler Cleaner: Assists in cleaning inside and outside of steam boilers and auxiliary equipment.
- Laborers: Helped in clean-up work after tradesmen.
- Mechanical Repairmen: Responsible for multi trade work including turbine repair, pipefitting, and mechanic work.
- Pipefitters: maintains steamlines and worked with turbine repairmen on big jobs.
- Turbine Repairmen: Maintained boilers and turbines – covered turbines, pumps, drums, and feed pump heads. Also removed boiler jackets and helped pipefitters tear-out and recover lines.
Box Anneal Furnaces:
Reheat the coils before rolling. The annealing process tempers the steel to meet the specifications of the purchaser. These were located at McLouth’s Gibraltar Plant.
Job Classifications:
- Annealer – operates annealing furnaces.
- Crane Hooker – hooks crane to top of furnaces.
- Crane Operator – operates crane to lift furnace covers.
- Pipefitter – maintains pipes.
- Bricklayer – rebuilds furnaces.
- Laborer – clean up work.
Other occupations exposed to asbestos:
- Maintenance Foreman and Supervisors: They schedule and supervise the maintenance and repair of the buildings and equipment.
- First Line Supervisors/Managers Production and Operating Workers: They directly supervise and coordinate production and operations employees (Precision Workers, Inspectors, Machine Setters and Operators, Assemblers, Fabricators, and Plant and System Operators.
- Maintenance: Construction and Millwrights, Bricklayers, Electricians, Insulators, Machinists, Oilers, Painters, Pipefitters, Welders, and other trades. They construct, maintain, and repair the buildings and equipment throughout the plant.
- Heavy/Mobile Equipment Repair: Industrial Mechanics maintained and repaired Kress Carriers, payloaders, fork trucks, dump trucks, tow motors, hoists, and other equipment
- Material Handling: Hi-Lo Operators, Crane Operators, Equipment Operators, Laborers, Sludge Operators and Tractor Operators. They handle and move the raw materials, steel, and equipment for the mill.
- Transportation: Railroad Laborers, Switchman and Engineers operated the locomotives for transporting molten steel, Ingot molds, and other materials.
- Receiving and Shipping: They receive and ship materials for the various plants and departments.
Experienced Asbestos Lawyers for McLouth Steel Workers in Detroit, Trenton, and Gibraltar
If you or a loved one have questions regarding asbestos exposure at McLouth Steel or anywhere in Detroit, Trenton or Gibraltar, Michigan, we have Michigan based and licensed lawyers with over 50 combined years of experience that would be able to assist you. John Kelsey and John Pomerville are Asbestos & Mesothelioma Attorneys with Goldberg Persky & White. They are very knowledgeable in regards to asbestos exposure at McLouth Steel, Mesothelioma and the other asbestos diseases caused by asbestos exposure. They have represented many individuals with mesothelioma, lung cancer or asbestosis in Wayne County Circuit Court for over 35 years. If you have any questions concerning your exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma at McLouth Steel in Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton MI call one of our Michigan Lawyers. Our Michigan-based mesothelioma lawyers may be able to give guidance if you were exposed to asbestos in Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton, Michigan.
Why does it matter that McLouth Steel Detroit, Gibraltar or Trenton, Michigan is in our jobsites database?
It matters that McLouth Steel Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton, Michigan, is in our jobsites database because familiarity with specific work environments is crucial for successfully pursuing an asbestos claim.
Here’s why:
- Knowledge of Work Environments: Lawyers need to understand the specific job sites where asbestos exposure occurred. This includes knowing the layout of the facilities, the types of tasks performed, and the duration of employment.
- Identification of Responsible Parties: Understanding the companies that employed individuals at McLouth Steel and the products they used is essential for identifying liable parties in asbestos-related claims. This includes both the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products and the companies that used them.
- Supporting Evidence: Access to depositions, testimonies of other asbestos disease victims, and documentation from the plant and defendants can provide critical evidence to support a claim. This evidence helps establish the link between asbestos exposure at McLouth Steel and the resulting health effects.
- Legal Expertise and Resources: With over 40 years of experience in asbestos litigation, our firm has developed a comprehensive knowledge base that includes company diagrams, invoices, memos, product packaging, expert testimonies, and scientific literature. This wealth of resources strengthens our ability to effectively represent clients in asbestos-related cases.
By having McLouth Steel Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton, Michigan, in our jobsites database, we can offer informed and strategic legal representation tailored to the specific circumstances of each client’s case.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma you should immediately speak with an experienced Michigan-based lawyer to preserve your legal rights as this is a time sensitive matter and knowing the facts will help you make the best medical and legal decisions possible and help you recover financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.
McLouth Steel, Gibraltar Plant
In 1954 McLouth announced the construction of a cold rolling facility in Gibraltar, Michigan, close to the Trenton Plant. This facility has a four-stand continuous cold rolling strip mill, annealing furnaces, two skin pass finishing mills and other ancillary equipment for further processing of cold rolled steel coils. The McLouth Steel Company Gibraltar plant was one of the largest annealing complexes at the time it was built.
There was a major fire that destroyed most of the pickling tower in 1970. The plant was operated under Detroit Cold Rolling (a subsidiary of Detroit Steel) from 1996 after the McLouth sale until it was later sold to Steel Rolling Holdings in 2006. The McLouth Steel Company Gibraltar plant has since been restarted by SRH.
The Gibraltar Cold Mill serves as the finishing facility for steel coils, focusing on refining the surface, reducing thickness, and tempering the metal for customer use.
Before cold rolling, the steel must be “pickled” to remove oxidation (scale). The Tandem Mill is where the primary reduction of steel thickness occurs through a continuous series of rollers. After that, the steel is annealed and tempered; meaning it is softened and smoothed. The final stage involves cutting and shaping the steel to specific customer orders.
| Feature | Trenton Plant (Iron & Steelmaking) | Gibraltar Mill (Cold Finishing) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Create raw steel slabs from iron ore/scrap. | Refine steel into thin, smooth, shippable coils. |
| Key Equipment | Blast furnaces, oxygen process vessels, casters. | Tandem mills, annealing furnaces, slitters. |
| Material State | Molten metal and hot red-hot slabs. | Cold steel at room temperature. |
| Chemical Process | Ironmaking (slag/sinter) and steelmaking. | Pickling (acid baths to remove scale). |
| Final Products | Thick slabs and hot-rolled coils. | Thin-gauge sheets, slit coils, and flat sheets. |
Steelmaking equipment, massive and complex, requires the skills of many people such as millwrights, pipefitters, carpenters, welders, and various craftsmen who perform necessary maintenance and repair work. Others behind the steelmaking scenes who contribute greatly to steel production are those employed in the Operations, Production and Supervising Departments.
Boilerhouse/Powerhouse:
There is high asbestos exposure to asbestos covered steam pipes, block insulation and boiler jackets.
- Boilerhouse/Powerhouse Job Descriptions:
- Boiler operator: Inspects and operates boilers.
- Water Tender: Works under the direction of boiler operator, monitors the high-pressure steam equipment.
- Boiler Cleaner: Assists in cleaning inside and outside of steam boilers and auxiliary equipment.
- Laborers: Helped in clean-up work after tradesmen.
- Mechanical Repairmen: Responsible for multi trade work including turbine repair, pipefitting, and mechanic work.
- Pipefitters: maintains steamlines and worked with turbine repairmen on big jobs.
- Turbine Repairmen: Maintained boilers and turbines – covered turbines, pumps, drums, and feed pump heads. Also removed boiler jackets and helped pipefitters tear-out and recover lines.
Box Anneal Furnaces:
Reheat the coils before rolling. The annealing process tempers the steel to meet the specifications of the purchaser. These were located at McLouth’s Gibraltar Plant.
Job Classifications:
- Annealer – operates annealing furnaces.
- Crane Hooker – hooks crane to top of furnaces.
- Crane Operator – operates crane to lift furnace covers.
- Pipefitter – maintains pipes.
- Bricklayer – rebuilds furnaces.
- Laborer – clean up work.
Other occupations exposed to asbestos:
- Maintenance Foreman and Supervisors: They schedule and supervise the maintenance and repair of the buildings and equipment.
- First Line Supervisors/Managers Production and Operating Workers: They directly supervise and coordinate production and operations employees (Precision Workers, Inspectors, Machine Setters and Operators, Assemblers, Fabricators, and Plant and System Operators.
- Maintenance: Construction and Millwrights, Bricklayers, Electricians, Insulators, Machinists, Oilers, Painters, Pipefitters, Welders, and other trades. They construct, maintain, and repair the buildings and equipment throughout the plant.
- Heavy/Mobile Equipment Repair: Industrial Mechanics maintained and repaired Kress Carriers, payloaders, fork trucks, dump trucks, tow motors, hoists, and other equipment
- Material Handling: Hi-Lo Operators, Crane Operators, Equipment Operators, Laborers, Sludge Operators and Tractor Operators. They handle and move the raw materials, steel, and equipment for the mill.
- Transportation: Railroad Laborers, Switchman and Engineers operated the locomotives for transporting molten steel, Ingot molds, and other materials.
- Receiving and Shipping: They receive and ship materials for the various plants and departments.
Experienced Asbestos Lawyers for McLouth Steel Workers in Detroit, Trenton, and Gibraltar
If you or a loved one have questions regarding asbestos exposure at McLouth Steel or anywhere in Detroit, Trenton or Gibraltar, Michigan, we have Michigan based and licensed lawyers with over 50 combined years of experience that would be able to assist you. John Kelsey and John Pomerville are Asbestos & Mesothelioma Attorneys with Goldberg Persky & White. They are very knowledgeable in regards to asbestos exposure at McLouth Steel, Mesothelioma and the other asbestos diseases caused by asbestos exposure. They have represented many individuals with mesothelioma, lung cancer or asbestosis in Wayne County Circuit Court for over 35 years. If you have any questions concerning your exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma at McLouth Steel in Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton MI call one of our Michigan Lawyers. Our Michigan-based mesothelioma lawyers may be able to give guidance if you were exposed to asbestos in Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton, Michigan.
Why does it matter that McLouth Steel Detroit, Gibraltar or Trenton, Michigan is in our jobsites database?
It matters that McLouth Steel Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton, Michigan, is in our jobsites database because familiarity with specific work environments is crucial for successfully pursuing an asbestos claim.
Here’s why:
- Knowledge of Work Environments: Lawyers need to understand the specific job sites where asbestos exposure occurred. This includes knowing the layout of the facilities, the types of tasks performed, and the duration of employment.
- Identification of Responsible Parties: Understanding the companies that employed individuals at McLouth Steel and the products they used is essential for identifying liable parties in asbestos-related claims. This includes both the manufacturers of asbestos-containing products and the companies that used them.
- Supporting Evidence: Access to depositions, testimonies of other asbestos disease victims, and documentation from the plant and defendants can provide critical evidence to support a claim. This evidence helps establish the link between asbestos exposure at McLouth Steel and the resulting health effects.
- Legal Expertise and Resources: With over 40 years of experience in asbestos litigation, our firm has developed a comprehensive knowledge base that includes company diagrams, invoices, memos, product packaging, expert testimonies, and scientific literature. This wealth of resources strengthens our ability to effectively represent clients in asbestos-related cases.
By having McLouth Steel Detroit, Gibraltar, or Trenton, Michigan, in our jobsites database, we can offer informed and strategic legal representation tailored to the specific circumstances of each client’s case.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma you should immediately speak with an experienced Michigan-based lawyer to preserve your legal rights as this is a time sensitive matter and knowing the facts will help you make the best medical and legal decisions possible and help you recover financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.