Nippon Steel: Help Gary Works move into the future.

Bob Tribble spent his career on the furnaces and at the Sinter Plant at Gary Works. That work meant security for his family and great health care, but he was aware of the risks. "The air quality was horrendous," and there was a pungent smell of sulfur from the blast furnaces. He worries about the long-term effects of that exposure on workers and residents alike.

What gives him hope now is the technology increasingly replacing blast furnaces: Direct Reduction Furnaces, capable of making the same high-quality steel while leading to "better health outcomes for the residents of Gary and surrounding area with cleaner air to breathe." His ask of Nippon Steel is direct: "infuse some money to move Gary Works into the future and extend its longevity."

Photo: Roger Smith / SteelWatch