Nucor to invest in Alabama mill

The board of directors of Nucor Corp. has approved a $280 million investment to install a new “mill stand” at its steel plate mill in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The Alabama mill has the melt shop capacity to produce 1.2 million tons annually of recycled-content steel and, after the investment, will have the downstream capacity to make approximately 3 million tons of cut-to-length and discrete plate, according to the company.

Nucor, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, says the investment will enable Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa to strengthen its ability to serve key market segments that are part of the overall Plate Mill Group strategy.

United Kingdom-based API Engineering, a steel mill equipment provider, says rolling mill stands are used to control the outer diameter of the product during the elongation and diameter finishing processes.

After the new mill stand is installed, semifinished steel from three Nucor mills potentially could be handled in Tuscaloosa. The Nucor Plate Mill Group consists of three production facilities, located in Hertford County, North Carolina; Brandenburg, Kentucky; and in Tuscaloosa.

“Nucor produces plate for military applications and for manufacturers of barges, bridges, heavy equipment, rail cars, refinery tanks, ships, wind towers and other items that are primarily used in the pipe and tube, pressure vessel, transportation and construction industries,” the company says.

“We continuously invest in our teammates and facilities where we see opportunities to create value for our customers,” says Al Behr, executive vice president at Nucor. “This modernization project will bolster the plate group’s position as [having] the most diverse and comprehensive product mix in the industry.”

Brian Phillippi, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa, adds, “The modernization and upgrade of the rolling mill at Tuscaloosa is an important investment that will keep our mill competitive in the global steel industry and open up new market opportunities for our team. We appreciate the support we have received from the Tuscaloosa County [Alabama] Economic Development Authority for this project.”