Lorain Steel Plant, Ohio

Twenty miles west of Cleveland is an old integrated steel plant in Lorain, active since 1895. Republic Steel operates most of the plant, which can produce up to 840,000 tons of steel per year. Republic, now owned by a Mexican company, makes mostly bar steel for things like truck axles. The eastern end of the plant is owned by U.S. Steel, which just added a new $100 million pipe mill. Demand for pipe for gas extraction is spurring the steel industry.