A cyberattack that hit steel giant EVRAZ late Wednesday is impacting multiple facilities in North America — beyond the single plant in Canada that initial reports indicated had been affected.
Patrick Waldron, a spokesperson for EVRAZ North America, would not confirm that the company shut down its plant in Saskatchewan but told FreightWaves the cyberattack had affected some operations at facilities in the U.S. and Canada.
EVRAZ has six production sites in North America: two in the United States and four in Canada. Waldron would not detail the extent of the impact or reveal the locations but said the company is working to fix the problem “as quickly as possible.”
“We’ve been communicating with customers and supply chain partners about this incident and potential impact on operations,” Waldron said.
United Steel Workers reported on Thursday that EVRAZ had issued a temporary layoff notice at the Regina plant as part of a shutdown in response to the cyberattack.
Trucking companies servicing the Regina plant have reported disruptions in freight flows.
“We’ve been affected big-time,” Frank Silvestri, president of RemWan Carriers, a flat-deck carrier in Rock View, Alberta, told FreightWaves.
RemWan, with a fleet of 40 trucks, moves about 100 loads per week for EVRAZ from its Canadian facilities. On Friday, Silvestri was looking for other freight to make up for the disruptions from Regina.
While hopeful that EVRAZ resumes normal operations soon, Silvestri said he is worried that a protracted disruption might lead some drivers to find another carrier.
“If they’re not getting a paycheck, they’re looking for a new job,” he said.
Waldron would not confirm other media reports that EVRAZ had experienced a ransomware attack. He said there was no indication that any confidential information had been compromised.
EVRAZ is one of the world’s largest steel manufacturers. Founded by Russian billionaire Alexander Abramov, its global operations include Russia, Western and Eastern Europe, and South Africa.
