Nucor intends to begin ferrous scrap-sourced steel rebar production at its Frostproof plant in Florida by the end of the year.
According to media reports, the plant will employ 250 workers and is expected to produce 350,000mt of steel from recycled scrap when it’s commissioned in Q4. Nucor has invested approximately $240mn into the 620,000 sq-ft facility.
Drew Wilcox, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel Florida, said the plant has already hired 75pc of its total staff, and that they’ve begun training.
Announced in 2018, the plant was initially slated to open in April of this year, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed progress and softened demand for its products from the US construction sector. Demand for other downstream Nucor steel products used in the automotive and energy sectors have also been quelled, Wilcox added.
Nucor produced 11.3mn mt of steel in H1 2020, declining by 4pc from the same period in 2019. The company expects similar pandemic-induced market conditions this quarter.