Ben Hur Steel Worx has closed after 116 years in north St. Louis, marking a major manufacturing loss and highlighting pressures facing regional fabricators.
The U.S. steel industry context and Section 232 tariffs frame the St. Louis steel plant closure and its broader pressures on fabricators. Ben Hur Steel Worx faced higher input costs and foreign competition as Section 232 tariffs increased, while fixed-price contracts limited pricing flexibility.
Tariffs on most imported steel began at 25% in March 2018 and rose to 50% by June 2025, benefiting large mills but straining smaller producers. Studies found about 75,000 job losses in steel-using sectors, and Congressional Research Service reports describe wider effects. In December 2025, Ben Hur began liquidation, with its 22-acre site listed near $7.5 million.
