Fairfield Tubular Operations Quench and Tempering Facility

U.S. Steel's board approved full funding on June 24, 2026 for its new $475 million Quench and Tempering (Q&T) facility at the Fairfield Tubular Operations in Alabama, followed by a ceremonial groundbreaking on September 21, 2026, with full production expected in the second quarter of 2029. The project is expected to create approximately 600 construction jobs at peak and approximately 250 permanent jobs once the facility is fully operational — 220 expected union positions and 30 non-represented positions. AFT records the 250 permanent net-new jobs and excludes the ~600 construction jobs per methodology. The $475 million figure covers the Q&T line only and deliberately excludes the separately announced $75 million premium thread line; the two lines together total $550 million.

Investment
$475.0M
Permanent jobs announced
approximately250
Status
Under Construction
Expected opening
Q2 2029
Why this project qualifies

With $475 million in facility-specific investment and approximately 250 permanent operating jobs announced, this project clears both of AFT's qualifying thresholds ($100 million in facility-specific investment OR 100 permanent operating jobs). It is also confirmed by official public sources and involves a physical manufacturing facility in the United States.

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Why it matters

The steel context.

American steelmakers are building a new generation of electric-arc-furnace mills alongside expanded sheet, plate, rebar and coating lines. Nucor, U.S. Steel, Cleveland-Cliffs, Steel Dynamics, CMC, BlueScope and Hyundai Steel are adding capacity for automakers, construction and grid infrastructure across the industrial Midwest, Southeast and Southwest.

Project record

At a glance

Company
U.S. Steel
Industry
Steel
Location
Fairfield, Alabama
Investment
$475.0M
Permanent jobs announced
Approximately 250
Status
Under Construction
Announced
Jun 24, 2026
Expected opening
Q2 2029
Added to tracker
Sep 23, 2026
Sources

Official references

Cite this project

American Factory Tracker. "Fairfield Tubular Operations Quench and Tempering Facility — U.S. Steel, Fairfield, AL." https://americanfactorytracker.com/projects/us-steel-fairfield-quench-and-tempering-facility. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Please also cite the original sources listed above for underlying figures.

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