In April 2003, two weeks after the assassination of the Prime Minister of Serbia Zoran Đinđić, the bankrupted company was sold to American steel company U.S. Steel (USS) for $23 million. U.S. Steel also pledged to invest $150 million in plant modernization. Following the company's acquisition, the owners changed its name from SARTID a.d. to "U.S. Steel Serbia" d.o.o. (USS Serbia d.o.o.). Over the years, while being owned by U.S. Steel Corporation, the company formed an important part of the Serbian GDP, and also was the biggest Serbian exporter during the period from 2003 to 2012.