Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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jggilmore7
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by jggilmore7 »

GTW6401 wrote:There is already plans in the works to build a new Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. iron ore processing plant at the Port of Toledo.

Toledo has the existing railroad and docks to make the project work.

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2017/0 ... oledo.html
Yes, and keep in mind that a proposed minimill in Durand would fit in nicely with Cliffs new HBI plant in Toledo because HBI is an excellent feedstock for electric furnaces. HBI can be mixed with scrap or even used exclusively for making higher grades of steel, so this would be a nice option for them. As to rail transportation, I believe if this connection came about it would be up in the air as to the means used to ship product such a short distance. Not sure rail would be the best way...

JG

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Proto48Patrick
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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80mac wrote:
Proto48Patrick wrote:the electric furnace minimill will help drive(assure) the new Thetford CMS gas fired plant too. As Im sure the two entities have been in contact for quite some time
The last that I heard the Thetford project was put on hold.

The 24" natural gas supply pipe they are working on would be an good indication it has been brought to the forefront.
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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Proto48Patrick wrote:
80mac wrote:
Proto48Patrick wrote:the electric furnace minimill will help drive(assure) the new Thetford CMS gas fired plant too. As Im sure the two entities have been in contact for quite some time
The last that I heard the Thetford project was put on hold.

The 24" natural gas supply pipe they are working on would be an good indication it has been brought to the forefront.
Here is the story on the new gas line:
https://www.consumersenergy.com/company ... l-pipeline

They need to build the plant but they have a few different options they are looking into currently.

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by atrainguy60 »

Recent articles state that it is related to renewable energy.

http://owossoindependent.com/durand-cit ... oject-tim/

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by Super Chief »

The article states the intersection of Lansing Rd and E. Saginaw St. That puts it along the Huron & Eastern ROW.

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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With steel mills closing around the country, why would anyone build a new steel mill. And how do they plan to compete with Chinese steel? What am I missing here? And what about local infrastructure, water supply for a giant steel mill. Traditionally, steel mills have been located along a body of water. All two lane roads in the area.

http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/20 ... -good.html

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/story/3277942 ... ll-closing

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/steel/ ... b5336.html

https://www.news-journal.com/news/2016/ ... -lone-sta/

Just re read the article. How did this " It would cover several hundred acres north of Lansing Road." become 4 square miles? And where is mention of a steel mill? Developers were vague and evasive, and would not say what the development is going to be.
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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hoborich wrote:With steel mills closing around the country, why would anyone build a new steel mill. And how do they plan to compete with Chinese steel? What am I missing here? And what about local infrastructure, water supply for a giant steel mill. Traditionally, steel mills have been located along a body of water. All two lane roads in the area.

http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/20 ... -good.html

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/story/3277942 ... ll-closing

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/steel/ ... b5336.html

https://www.news-journal.com/news/2016/ ... -lone-sta/

Just re read the article. How did this " It would cover several hundred acres north of Lansing Road." become 4 square miles? And where is mention of a steel mill? Developers were vague and evasive, and would not say what the development is going to be.
It isn't going to be steel mill, BUT if it were, the fact it would be land locked and surrounded by 2 lane roads would not be a problem. It would have been most likely a Minimill, which are large but not full scale operations. Examples of minimills include near Butler IN, located on NS's Wabash Line, and surrounded by 2 lane roads. No freeways. Another is in Columbia City, IN, along the CF&E and a highway. Then there's Delta, OH, along the I&O and NS Chicago Line. There is also a highway and a few miles to the north is the Toll Freeway. Durand would have had the extra advantage of having not just the Huron and Eastern and some country roads and highways (just like elsewhere), but also having I 69 just a mile or less to the west. I have no idea where the steel idea came from, apparently just a false rumor as they are now saying it's related to renewable energy. Apparently still gonna involve rail business as the developers were interested in the HESR tracks going through the land.

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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atrainguy60 wrote:
hoborich wrote:but also having I 69 just a mile or less to the west..
Presumably you meant I-75....
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by atrainguy60 »

Jim_c wrote:
atrainguy60 wrote:
hoborich wrote:but also having I 69 just a mile or less to the west..
Presumably you meant I-75....
I 75 is a north-south through Flint, Grand Blanc, Waterford, etc. I 69 is east-west through Perry, Durand, Flint, Lapeer, etc.

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by penn central »

About the only thing i could think of is maybe there going to build windmill blades and windmill hubs and the towers that they stand on, I would think you would need a lot of space to build those things, Im just speculating, It does mention renewable energy.

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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Seems like a windmill plant was proposed near Eaton Rapids a few years ago. There was even talk about JAIL relaying about 8 miles of track from Rives Jct. toward Eaton Rapids where the new plant was proposed. Last time I checked there was no new developments.
penn central wrote:About the only thing i could think of is maybe there going to build windmill blades and windmill hubs and the towers that they stand on, I would think you would need a lot of space to build those things, Im just speculating, It does mention renewable energy.
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by redcrumbox »

Going along with penn central and AARR, my guess it will be a bird chopper manufacturing facility powered by more bird choppers or even solar. When you read 'increased housing values' in the article atrainguy60 provided, then it becomes obvious there will be a wind farm included some how, some way.

Property values surge in Michigan counties with wind energy – but why?
http://midwestenergynews.com/2017/04/05 ... y-but-why/

So how do you get the bird choppers built when there is a moratorium? Include them into a fantastic brand new package deal.

Wind energy farm stalled after commissioners impose year-long moratorium
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.s ... after.html

Michigan has to step it up if the state is gonna meet the new renewable energy mandate. What better way than to dupe the public. Seriously though, Mi could kill two birds with one stone by manufacturing these bird choppers in house. Transport and setup costs would be low if the bird choppers are gonna be located in the surrounding counties. The facility has to be huge enough to store all the working parts under roof. The most important thing is subsidies and tax credits, cause we all know govt. likes giving away your money. GE is raking in billions of federal gravy because wind energy’s subsidy is three times the current market price of natural gas.

Michigan Senate passes energy choice bill, 15% renewables mandate
http://www.utilitydive.com/news/michiga ... te/430232/

Warren Buffett once explained why his companies are in the wind business. “We get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That’s the only reason we build them".
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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atrainguy60 wrote:I 75 is a north-south through Flint, Grand Blanc, Waterford, etc. I 69 is east-west through Perry, Durand, Flint, Lapeer, etc.

My bad. I had Dundee in my brain, not Durand. :(
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by GreatLakesRailfan »

Foxconn is building a plant in Wisconsin to manufacture electronic stuff. There has been mention of other plants to be built in the US' Midwest region, also for Foxconn... maybe the place by Durand will manufacture solar panels instead of windmill parts.

If we are in fact looking at a windmill plant, especially a blade plant, what do they use for raw materials/what form does the material for the blades shipped in? For some reason I thought the blades were made of aluminum, but do they extrude it on site, or does it arrive in some other form?
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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GreatLakesRailfan wrote:For some reason I thought the blades were made of aluminum, but do they extrude it on site, or does it arrive in some other form?
Fiberglass/Composites, actually.
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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Going back to the article:
As we reported Wednesday night at 11, several property owners north of Durand were invited to learn more about a new business that may be coming to the area. At the meeting, they were told very little about the project, except that there could be offers to buy their property.
Why all the secrecy? And 800 jobs seems excessive. Developers always exaggerate the jobs and economic benefits of their projects.
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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hoborich wrote:Why all the secrecy? And 800 jobs seems excessive. Developers always exaggerate the jobs and economic benefits of their projects.
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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by jggilmore7 »

[quote="atrainguy60"]

"It isn't going to be steel mill"

Oh, really? Good thing we can count on you for factual information. Your credibility has plummeted in my book, and you were the one buying into a false rumor:

http://www.autonews.com/article/2017120 ... automakers

JG

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

Unread post by atrainguy60 »

jggilmore7 wrote:
atrainguy60 wrote:
"It isn't going to be steel mill"

Oh, really? Good thing we can count on you for factual information. Your credibility has plummeted in my book, and you were the one buying into a false rumor:

http://www.autonews.com/article/2017120 ... automakers

JG
Sorry, didn't mean to offend. You're right though, I was definitely wrong on the steel mill part. I mistook the renewable energy part as a sign it was something to do completely with renewable energy, like building windmills or something. Turns out it's a steel mill that involves being powered by renewable energy, which is pretty cool.

"In a meeting last week in Washington, New Steel representatives portrayed the Durand project as a state-of-the-art steel plant that would use clean coal-burning technology to melt iron pellets and capture a portion of the energy emitted in the steel-making process for electricity, according to a source.

The company has portrayed the project as having a renewable energy component.."

Thanks for sharing the link though, I hadn't seen anything in a while on this subject in the local news.

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Re: Propsed Steel manufacturing in/near Durand

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jggilmore7 wrote:
http://www.autonews.com/article/2017120 ... automakers

"In a meeting last week in Washington, New Steel representatives portrayed the Durand project as a state-of-the-art steel plant that would use clean coal-burning technology to melt iron pellets and capture a portion of the energy emitted in the steel-making process for electricity, according to a source.
Pellets, eh? Looks like we’ll be seeing all-rail ore moves on CN if this comes to pass.

It seems to me most mini-mills tend to rely on electric furnaces and scrap steel, so this seems to be a more traditional (albeit, modern) steel mill. Either way, great for jobs (and rail carloads) up here.
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