Steel Products Prices North America
Zekelman to Expand Atlas Tube with New ERW Mill in Arkansas
Written by Tim Triplett
August 1, 2019
Zekelman Industries plans to build what it claims will be the world’s largest continuous ERW tube mill in Blytheville, Ark., on property adjacent to its existing Atlas Tube mill. Startup of the new mill is scheduled for September 2021.
“Having two mills within close proximity of each other will only increase our organization’s efficiency. We look forward to starting construction of this groundbreaking facility,” said Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries.
The $150 million mill project represents the largest private investment in the U.S. steel industry in the last decade, Zekelman said, enabling new domestic manufacturing capabilities. The facility will be capable of producing hollow structural sections (HSS) in square, rectangular and round shapes and in sizes ranging from 8″ square x 0.750″ wall to 22″ square x 1″ wall. While Atlas Tube has supplied Jumbo HSS (up to 22″ square x 0.875″ wall) since 2012, the new mill allows the full range of these products to be made in the USA for the first time, and with a larger maximum wall thickness than previously available. The largest rectangular section produced in Blytheville will be 30″ x 14″ x 1″ wall, and the largest round section will be 28″ OD x 1″ wall.
Atlas Tube products provide structural support for buildings such as airports, stadiums, mega warehouses and large distribution centers, as well as infrastructure applications such as bridges and oil and gas pipelines. The Blytheville mill will produce HSS and pipe piling to meet or exceed ASTM A500, ASTM A1085, CSA G40 and ASTM A252 standards.
“We greatly appreciate the support we’ve received from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission over the years,” said Tom Muth, president of Atlas Tube. “The AEDC has worked closely with us to ensure immense success for the Blytheville community, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
The company projects an additional 75 new employees will be hired to work in the mill, growing its Blytheville workforce to approximately 150 employees. The new Blytheville mill will be Atlas Tube’s sixth mill in North America and its fifth in the United States, all of which also produce HSS.
Tim Triplett
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