| AK Makes the Case for SunCoke |
| Thursday, March 13, 2008 11:07:58 AM - Middletown Ohio |
by John Beagle
Alan McCoy, spokesperson for AK Steel of Westchester, addressed the Middletown City Planning Commission last night. He was defending a requested re-zoning of a parcel of land needed for a new coke plant necessary to help keep AK Steel, competitive in the steel industry.
SunCoke, a subsidery of Sunoco, wants to build a state of the art coke plant that will also generate electricity.
Mr. McCoy mentioned a new competitor coming to market, ThyssenKrupp, who has broken ground on a new Steel and Stainless Steel Facility in Alabama. The plant is scheduled to begin operations in 2010. "This new competitor will be knocking on all our customer's doors," said Mr. McCoy. They are a viable competitor with a state-of-the-art steel mill with financial backing from the state.
Mr. McCoy said that AK Steel was producing about 75% of the coke they need. That AK was buying 25% of its coke on the world market. Prices for coke have risen steadily. See: Rise
in steel prices as raw material costs surge
Coke produced locally and efficiently would save AK millions. Plus, SunCoke Energy
says it produces no hazardous emissions.
 SunCoke Energy's heat-recovery technology converts waste heat into steam and
electricity. Benzene and other pollutants generated in the long hours of baking
coal are incinerated inside the coke ovens, eliminating the need for a chemical
byproducts plant and disposal of hazardous waste.
Discuss: SunCoke in Middletown
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