Options for long steel: An evaluation

In late 2023, ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) announced it would close down its long steel unit, including its mill at Newcastle, unless government, its workers and its customers increased their support. In early July 2024, it said it would delay the closure depending, again, on greater support from stakeholders. This paper explores the factors behind AMSA’s threat to close its long steel production; analyses the costs, benefits and risks for different constituencies; and on that basis indicates critical decision points for government and for stakeholders.