Steel Mills

Nucor To Modernize Alabama Plate Mill

November 17, 2023

Nucor Corp. has announced a $280-million investment to modernize its plate mill in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The move will enable the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker to “strengthen” Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa’s “ability to serve key market segments” in line with its overall Plate Mill Group strategy, it said in a statement on Friday, Nov. 17.

The investment has been approved by the board of directors, Nucor said.

“We continuously invest in our teammates and facilities where we see opportunities to create value for our customers. This modernization project will bolster the plate group’s position as the most diverse and comprehensive product mix in the industry,” commented Al Behr, Nucor’s EVP for Plate and Structural Products.

Nucor’s Plate Mill Group has an annual capacity of approximately 3 million tons of cut-to-length and discrete plate, the company said. Its plate production facilities include Cofield, N.C., Brandenburg, Ky., and Tuscaloosa.

“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,” said Brian Phillippi, Nucor’s VP and GM of Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa.

The steelmaker produces plate for several military and manufacturing applications including construction, heavy equipment, mining, energy, infrastructure, oil and gas, and transportation.

David Schollaert

David Schollaert is a senior analyst for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. Based in CRU’s Pittsburgh office, David can be reached at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.