Renco-Warren Severstal deal reported

YOUNGSTOWN — There is considerable speculation that a deal has been reached in which the New York-based Renco Group would buy the Warren Severstal Steel plant, the Sparrows Point, Md., plant and Severstal’s Wheeling-Pittsburgh assets, according to The Vindicator’s media partner, WFMJ 21 News.

It reported late Friday that according to the industry website MetalBulletin.com, Renco once owned the Warren mill, formerly WCI Steel, but lost control of the plant in 2006.

Severstal purchased the Warren plant in 2008 as part of its $2.8 billion acquisition of several North American plants.

The Warren plant — like many of Severstal’s North American facilities — was idled for much of 2009 as a result of weak market demand.

Severstal Warren reopened in March, recalling about 800 of 1,100 laid-off hourly workers.

The company has scaled back dramatically its Wheeling operations and in June announced that it would idle its primary steelmaking facilities at Sparrows Point.