Lehigh Heavy Forge Corp., with its parent company WHEMCO Inc., announced an $11.5 million investment into ArcelorMittal Steelton, part of the world’s leading steel and mining company. ArcelorMittal Steelton of Steelton, Pa., operates a mini-mill operation which produces up to 300-ton vacuum-poured ingots that are shipped to Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa. Lehigh, a global leader in the production of forged steel components, subsequently forms the ingots on its 10,000-ton open-die press, creating a wide variety of products including ship shafts and pressure vessels for the defense market; pressure vessels for the commercial nuclear and petrochemical markets; generator shafts for the power-generation market; and forged-steel rolls for the flat-rolling market.

According to Lehigh, ArcelorMittal Steelton is the only supplier capable of producing vacuum-poured ingots up to 130 inches in diameter and 300 tons. The $11.5 million investment is the first of three planned investments by Lehigh at ArcelorMittal Steelton. It includes a 260-foot expansion of the ingot facility as well as railroad track rerouting and utility relocation. Phase one will allow ArcelorMittal Steelton to utilize existing steel capacity to increase its current vacuum-pour capacity by approximately 25%. Phases two and three will include new equipment purchases and installations.