The Steel Plant Database is a powerful tool for descriptive and analytical research related to the American steel industry. The database is comprehensive in that it includes basic information about every steel mill in the United States that has or has had raw steel making capacity from 1978 through the latest available statistics. The database includes plant-level information on equipment capacity related to steel making and steel casting, as well as geographic locators and ownership history. For more details about the database tables, reports, and structure, view the PDF user documentation (~740K).

The database is an effective tool in academic research related to locational changes in steel-making capacity, environmental analysis associated with the growth of electric furnace capacity, and the pricing and inter-regional flows of ferrous scrap across the continental United States. The database also has been used as a ready source of accurate information in response to queries about the steel industry from government agencies, private consultants, and the news media. Its capabilities offer promise of use for business firms in marketing and strategic planning and for economic development agencies in tracking key trends related to plants, counties, states, or associated geographic regions.