Region Digest

Severstal to spend $10M on Sparrows Point blast furnace

DUNDALK, Md. (AP) — OAO Severstal officials say the Russian steelmaker will spend $10 million to upgrade the blast furnace at the Sparrows Point steel mill it recently purchased.

The late summer renovation will close the blast furnace for about two weeks. The furnace creates raw steel from ore and company officials say the upgrade will increase production and profitability.

Severstal agreed in March to buy the plant from ArcelorMittal for about $810 million and has pledged to spend $500 million over the next five years to bring it to full...