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(AMM) Metals players brush off snow impact, but distribution takes hit

February 08, 2010 - 22:05 GMT Location: PITTSBURGH

Last weekend's "snowmageddon," which dumped up to 3 feet of snow on the Midwest and East Coast, created power outages, staffing issues and logistical challenges for many metals companies, although most overcame them.

But the impact might not be over as the storm's effect on raw materials supplies, including scrap and coal, is still being assessed at the same time that another weather system with projected heavy snow is expected to bear down on much of the same area at midweek.

OAO Severstal's Sparrows Point, Md., operations seemed hardest hit of those polled, with about 30 inches of snow on the ground there, a company spokeswoman said. Another two feet of snow was also on the ground at the company's Wheeling-Pittsburgh operations, particularly at its Mountain State Carbon LLC coke-making operation at Follansbee, W.Va., which is a 24-7 operation.

"We did have quite a few employees who worked extended shifts and we had some employees who could not make it in," the spokeswoman said. "We had some people, at both plants, the entire weekend. They slept where they could within the plant."

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