AK Steel Corp. is hiring at several of its plants as a result of an uptick in business and retirements of workers.

Several union representatives said their rolls have increased of late and more hiring is expected in weeks to come.

Brian Speelman, president of United Steelworkers union Local 169, which represents 260 hourly workers at AK Steel's Mansfield, Ohio, plant, said the company will be hiring about 20 people in January. But Mansfield is not running full out yet, he said.

"Currently we'll all be working until the end of the month (of November)," Speelman said. "They're projecting better orders and an increase in 2010, so they intend to bring us back the first week of...