For Judy Baker, Crane Operator, reaching 20 years at the steel shop represents more than a milestone. It reflects two decades of change and her determination to adapt alongside it. Tenaris’s steel mill in Koppel, Pennsylvania, a key component of Tenaris’s vertically integrated domestic supply chain in the United States, produces steel bars to be used in pipe production.
After raising her two daughters, Baker landed a job at the Koppel, PA steel mill and was willing to take on any challenge. A Western Pennsylvania native, Baker grew up next door to her grandparents, tending to animals on her family’s farm. She credits those early experiences with shaping the work ethic and discipline that has guided her throughout her career. Her grandfather was a construction worker, farmer and crane operator, and watching him work left a lasting impression.
While she quickly found her place in the role, the beginning of her career came with moments of doubt. “I remember the first three months or so, I would walk out onto the platform and think, ‘What am I doing here?’” she said, saying it was her determination and curiosity that kept her going. Since then, she spends her time in the scrap bay, aiming to safely and efficiently load the buckets with scrap steel to be sent to the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), to then be refined and cast.
Over the past two decades, Baker has seen many changes in the way the mill operates. Advances in equipment and technology have made the job more efficient and transformed how the mill monitors production and mitigates safety risks. “Everything is more computerized now, which I think allows us to run more efficiently,” Baker said. “We have a lot less off-analysis (OA) heats than when I first started.” She also noted that the shift toward a more digital facility has allowed operators to monitor processes from the pulpits and reduce hands-on work in high-risk areas and tasks.
Despite the technological advances, Baker said some things have remained the same. “This mill runs on people,” she said. “You can’t take that out of the equation.”
From her crane, Baker keeps a close eye on the scrap moving through the process, making sure she knows what is going into the furnace. The role requires focus, precision and good judgment, qualities that she has developed through years of experience, and she appreciates the independence that comes with the job. “At the end of the day, I am the operator, and it is up to me to make decisions,” she said.
Judy Baker operating a crane at Tenaris’s steel mill in Koppel, Pennsylvania. Tenaris
For her, success is measured in simple but meaningful ways. “What makes me feel good at the end of the day is that nobody got hurt, and we made some steel.”
Looking ahead, she hopes to pass along her knowledge to the next generation of operators, especially women. “I would love to train another woman when I am ready to retire,” she said. Her advice for young women entering the industry is straightforward: “Be the best you can possibly be.”
Outside the mill, Baker enjoys spending time with her family. In addition to her two daughters, she has five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She enjoys camping, often with her daughter and granddaughters, and continuing to care for horses on the farm where she grew up.
Baker takes pride not only in her family but also in the steel she helps produce and the career she has built. “I am proud of my family,” she said. “I’m proud that I came in on my first day, willing to learn the process, and I am still learning things every day.”
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