Steel Mills

Nucor Slates $58M for Nebraska Bar Mill Modernization

Written by Michael Cowden


Nucor plans to spend $58 million to upgrade its engineered bar mill in Norfolk, Neb., with the aim of increasing sales to the automotive industry.

The modernization project is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022, the electric-arc furnace steelmaker said.

NucorThe scope of work will include adding a new reheat furnace, intermediate mill, and coil inspection and trimming station, the company said.

“The upgrades we are making to our engineered bar mill in Nebraska are part of our efforts to continue to grow the number of tons we sell to the automotive market,” Nucor President and CEO Leon Topalian said in a statement.

“This investment is part of our greater commercial strategy to align our product mix with current and future demand of our customers,” he said.

The upgrades should result in engineered bar and coil products with better surface quality and lower decarburization. They will also keep Nucor workers safer by keeping them away from the rolling process, the company said.

Also known as Nucor Steel Nebraksa, the Norfolk bar mill has been in operation since 1973. Nucor said it “invested heavily” in the plant from 2012-15 to increase its output of special bar quality (SBQ) steel for demanding end markets such as energy, automotive and heavy equipment.

By Michael Cowden, Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com

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