Nucor gets final permit for W Virginia mill

: Metals
23/08/04

Electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaker Nucor has received its final permit for its new West Virginia flat rolled mill.

The company received the permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers on 28 July and has begun construction of the 3mn short ton (st)/yr mill in Mason County, according to a company statement.

The $3.1bn mill — $400mn more than originally expected — will take two years to complete and is expected to produce advanced high-end automotive and construction grades of flat steel.

The mill will be able to produce up to 84in sheet products, and have a 76in tandem cold mill with two galvanizing lines.

The mill is being built at the same time integrated steelmaker US Steel is constructing its own 3mn st/yr EAF-based flat-rolled mill in northeast Arkansas, adjacent to its existing 3.3mn st/yr Big River Steel EAF mill.

Meanwhile, competitor Steel Dynamics completed a 3mn st/yr flat mill in Sinton, Texas, that has been beset by production issues since starting up over a year ago.

By Rye Druzin

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