Mrvan emphasizes importance of NWI steel industry at Carmeuse

Following a tour of Carmeuse’s Buffington campus in Gary, Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, expressed his gratitude for local steelworkers.

As vice-chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, Mrvan said he’s dedicated to keeping the steel industry alive in Northwest Indiana.

“My job is to be clear and to make sure that we are protecting industry to thrive,” Mrvan said Wednesday. “We have to understand that you guys are a symbolic or central part of the industry, and those jobs are very important. What I personally enjoyed by talking to employees is that you have so many that are second or third generation families, and the majority of your hiring comes from referrals and people who want to be here.”

Mrvan met with Carmeuse employees, local union representatives and leaders from the city of Gary on Wednesday. Mrvan discussed how Section 232 tariffs might help the local steel industry and told leaders what they could do to help advocate for steel in Northwest Indiana.

Carmeuse is a global manufacturer of lime and limestone products, according to its website, and lime is used in the steelmaking process. Lime can act as a fluxing agent for slag chemistry, protect iron ore sinters, extend refractory life and act as a lubricant in the casting process, according to Carmeuse.

Carmeuse is also a member of the American Iron and Steel Institute, which had members present at Wednesday’s meeting.

Phil Piggot, vice president of sales and marketing at Carmeuse, is an AISI board member. Piggot thanked Mrvan for being a “tremendous advocate” for Northwest Indiana’s steel industry.

“We here at Carmeuse support the steel industry, and we’re truly the background of manufacturing,” Piggot said. “We have been able to hire more people, and there’s been a direct impact across businesses in this country who’ve been able to hire more people to increase our capital spending as manufacturing has increased in the steel industry, and that rolls right onto us.”

Piggot also asked Mrvan how Carmeuse can help him at the federal level. Mrvan said the best way is to continue hiring local workers and providing a safe work environment.

Mrvan expressed his support for Section 232 steel tariffs, which he believes ensure the economic strength of the American steel industry. On Wednesday, Mrvan said it’s important to keep Section 343 steel tariffs at 50% and to ensure that there’s enforcement in trade politics.

Micah Pollak, associate professor of economics at Indiana University Northwest, previously told the Post-Tribune that tariffs will increase the needs for domestic, American-made steel.

“Tariffs will likely only help the steel industry, specifically,” Pollak previously said, according to Post-Tribune archives. “Although we’ll raise the cost of construction nationally, from the perspective of the steel industry, demand will likely only go up for American-made steel.”

Mrvan has advocated for the U.S. International Trade Commission to protect the steel industry.

“I have fought hard to make sure they have the proper funding, so not only can they protect the steel industry, but to continue to advocate for the area and our local jobs and families,” Mrvan said.

In August, Mrvan urged Howard Lutnick, U.S. secretary of commerce, and Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative, to uphold Section 232 steel tariffs in trade negotiations, claiming they are “critical for our national security and the economic strength of the American steel industry,” according to Mrvan’s website.

“Those Section 232 tariffs allow the steel industry to continue to thrive and be able to be protected against bad actors who want to dump subsidized steel into our markets,” Mrvan said Wednesday.

Randy Palmateer, business manager for the Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, thanked Mrvan and Carmeuse for their advocacy of local workers.

“I want to thank (Mrvan) for the work he does for the working-class families in Northwest Indiana,” Palmateer said. “On behalf of the Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council and the 30,000 men and women I represent, I want to thank Carmeuse also for putting outside contractors to work.”