West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey is not giving up on the future of the former Cleveland-Cliffs manufacturing facility in Weirton, despite recent setbacks. Though disappointed by the company’s decision to stop investment in a planned transformer manufacturing plant, Morrisey says he is determined to find a new and productive use for the site.
Speaking in Wheeling during a ceremonial bill signing at Heritage Port, Morrisey addressed the halted plans that had once offered hope for economic revival in the Northern Panhandle.
Cleveland-Cliffs, which had previously operated a tinplate manufacturing site in Weirton, announced earlier this month that it would not move forward with plans to repurpose the site into a transformer production facility. The decision came on the heels of the company’s disappointing first-quarter financial results.
The Weirton plant was once part of the historic Weirton Steel Corporation and represented the last remaining manufacturing unit from that legacy.
The tinplate operation was officially closed in early 2024, but in July 2024, Cleveland-Cliffs had sparked new optimism when it floated the idea of converting the facility to make electrical transformers—an industry expected to grow with increased demand for energy infrastructure.
Gov. Morrisey recalled his personal involvement in discussions about the site over the past year. “When that first happened over a year ago, I came up to the area and I met with the union and the head of Cleveland-Cliffs,” he said. “I wanted to make sure we were doing everything imaginable to put these good, hard-working people to work.”
He added that the original plan seemed promising and had inspired hope among former workers—many of whom had left the area but were considering returning for new job opportunities by 2026. “So, obviously, I’m deeply disappointed in everything that’s happened,” Morrisey admitted.
Still, he emphasized that he is far from ready to give up. He confirmed that he had meetings scheduled for later that very day to explore other opportunities for the Weirton facility. The governor is actively engaging with union representatives, Cleveland-Cliffs officials, and other stakeholders to figure out a path forward.
“That’s a good facility,” Morrisey said firmly. “I think that it could host a lot of really important manufacturing for this area, so I’m not giving up on that.”
The governor also noted that several other potential opportunities have come to his attention recently—specifically for economic development in the Northern Panhandle. He assured the public that his administration is taking these seriously and is committed to researching each one in depth.
Morrisey’s persistence offers a glimmer of hope for a community that has weathered economic challenges and job losses in recent years. The potential rebirth of the Weirton site—whether as a transformer plant or something entirely different—remains a key priority for the governor as he continues to champion job creation and industrial growth in West Virginia.
For now, the people of Weirton and the surrounding areas can take some comfort in knowing that the fight to bring new life to the facility is far from over.
