Lab Metallurgist

Sterling Steel Company is a steel mill located in Sterling, Illinois, on a portion of the former NorthWestern Steel and Wire location. SSC, one of the largest recyclers in the state, currently employs 280 employees and iproduces over 400,000 tons of wire rod annually. Customers have various uses for this rod, including Leggett & Platt making bed springs, which they invented. Leggett & Platt is not only our largest customer, but after purchasing NWSW in 2002 they are also the owner.

The process begins in the Melt Shop where various type of scrap steel are heated to 3,000 degrees to be melted into 350 tons of liquid steel in an electric arc furnace that is 32’ in diameter. This furnace is the largest in North America. After alloys are added and the appropriate chemistry is achieved, the molten steel is cast into billets which are 5-1/8” square bars that are cut to 36’ length. A billet weighs approximately 1-1/2 tons. Each heat produces 210-220 billets. Billets are cooled then stored in one of SSC’s billet yards.

The melting and casting operations (Melt Shop) operates from approximately Friday night to Monday morning because the melting process is very electricity intensive and the cost of power is considerably less on weekends.

The Rod Mill retrieves billets from the billet yards and put them into a reheat furnace that will bring them to approximately 2,000 degrees. The heated billet travels at speeds of up to 220 mph through the roughing mill and rod block whereby the 36’ long billet will be rolled and shaped into a coil which, if laid straight would be almost 4 miles long. The mill has the ability to produce 10 sizes of rod, the majority being 7/32” or 1/4”.

The rod mill operates 24/7 with employees working 4-on 4-off, 12-hour, swing shifts.

All rod is produced to order so processes and chemistries are varied to accommodate different specific needs. Approximately 80% of SSC’s finished product is sold inter-company with the remaining 20% going to trad customers.

It is the mission of Sterling Steel to be the Safest and Lowest Cost provider of Quality Steel. We are committed to conform to all established requirements and expectations of our customers and to a philosophy of Continuous Quality Improvement. Meeting these goals requires teamwork, dedication and ongoing training from all SSC employees.

Leggett & Platt is the world leader in bedding technology. Sterling Steel's Melt Shop and Rod Mill are part of this bedding segment.

Leggett & Platt has been the driving force in bedding components technology since inventing the bedspring in 1885. Now, we own more mattress industry patents than anyone in the world.

Springs, foam, adjustable beds, machinery – our Bedding businesses design, produce, and supply innovative sleep solutions that help you rest comfortably.

Learn more about Bedding Components: L&P Bedding Group

Leggett & Platt’s overall mission is a commitment to enhance lives – by delivering quality products, offering empowering and rewarding careers, and doing our part in bringing about a better future. We make life more comfortable.

Leggett & Platt’s inventive heritage and leadership in the residential products industry span more than 130 years. As The Components People, we are the leading supplier of a wide range of products and components for all areas of life, including mattress springs and carpet cushion, as well as bedding machinery and erosion-control products.

From aerospace tubing and fabricated assemblies to flooring underlayment and carpet cushion, Leggett & Platt has divisions that design, manufacture, and sell a variety of products. Our reliable product development and launch capability, coupled with our global footprint, make us a trusted partner for customers in the aerospace, hydraulic cylinders, flooring, textile, and geo components industries.

Learn more about the history of Leggett: https://leggett.com/history

Worked performed in the lab is an integral part of the melting process at Sterling Steel. Without it the mill would not be able to continue production.

The Metallurgist is responsible for

• receiving samples from various departments at different points in the steel making process
• quickly performing tests to verify quality and chemical make-up match expectations
• recording details of the tests
• comparing results to expectations
• notifying appropriate departments of results
• safely operating spectrometer, grinder and other lab machinery

Qualified candidate will possess great attention to detail and critical thinking skills.

Some college and previous experience related to Quality, Chemistry or Metallurgy preferred.

To succeed the incumbent must be reliable, demonstrate ability to prioritize, consistently follow written job procedures, work effectively without direct supervision, and possess a desire to continue learning.

This is a Full-Time, Exempt position that will work some weekend and overnight shifts.

What to Do Next

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• Put People First reflects our commitment to safety and care of each other, learning and development, and creating an inclusive environment of mutual respect, empathy and belonging.
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• Do Great Work…Together occurs when we engage without hierarchy, collaborate as a team, embrace challenges, and work for the good of all of us.
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We're actively taking steps to make sure our culture is inclusive and that our processes and practices promote equity for all. Leggett & Platt is comprised of people of all abilities, gender identities and expressions, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, veteran status, and more. Join us!

We welcome and encourage applications if you meet the minimum qualifications. Even if you do not meet the preferred qualifications, we’d love the opportunity to consider you.

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