Alton Steel, located in Alton, Illinois, has closed its operations at the facility effective January 2026. The decision follows a comprehensive review of the company’s business operations and market conditions. Alton Steel Inc. was established in 2003 as a special bar quality (SBQ) steel mill producing rounds, round-cornered squares and bar-in-coil.
The closure will impact approximately 253 employees along with contractors and vendors.
The company is also coordinating with local officials and workforce development agencies to help ease the impact on the community.
“This is an incredibly painful decision for everyone involved,” said chief executive officer Chris Ervin. “Our employees have shown exceptional dedication and skill for more than two decades of production. We have worked tirelessly to modernize this facility and remain competitive, but we’ve reached a point where the fundamental structural challenges cannot be overcome. The steel industry has changed dramatically, and as a privately held company, we cannot access the capital required to compete with larger, publicly traded competitors that have newer facilities and modern equipment.”
Published February 2026
