While about 1,200 Baltimore steelworkers face at least another two months of layoffs at Sparrows Point, parent company Severstal is increasing production at its “greenfield” mill at Columbus, Miss.

Severstal is in the midst of doubling the mill’s annual steelmaking capacity – from 1.5 million metric tons to 3 million metric tons – and has poured more than $1 billion into the facility, which was opened in 2007.

The Columbus mill makes just about everything that Sparrows Point makes – except for tinplate, a Point specialty – using such state-of-the-art technology as an electric arc furnace (in place of a blast furnace) and compact strip machinery that converts liquid steel into a finished coil in a single process.

Another big difference – Columbus is a non-union shop, while the United Steelworkers union (USW) has represented Sparrows Point since 1941.

With Sparrows Point’s metalmaking facilities idled until at least March 31, Severstal has made arrangements to ship hot-band steel from Columbus to the tin mill, the only finishing line in full operation.

The Columbus Dispatch gave this update of the Mississippi mill, including news that Severstal is preparing to hire 100 new workers.