Steel Mills

Nucor breaks ground on new Berkeley galv line

May 3, 2024

Nucor broke ground on a new galvanizing line at its Nucor Steel Berkeley sheet mill in Huger, S.C., on Thursday, May 2.

The groundbreaking “marks a significant milestone in our growth trajectory, enhancing our capabilities and solidifying our commitment to the local community. This expansion will also bolster our presence in key sectors like automotive and consumer durables,” the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday.

Primetals Technologies is supplying the automotive-grade continuous galvanizing line (CGL), which will have an annual capacity of 500,000 short tons (st) and be able to produce products up to 72 inches wide.

When Nucor announced the $425-million expansion project in 2022, it planned to start the new line in mid-2025.

Earlier in 2022, Nucor also said it would inject $200 million over five years to modernize the Berkeley facility, including adding an air separation unit. The mill operates two EAFs with a total capacity of ~2.6 million st.

A Nucor spokesperson had not responded to a request for comment by the time of this story’s publication.

Laura Miller

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held a variety of positions within the steel industry since 2007, including reporting and editing for Steel Business Briefing/Platts, the Association for Iron and Steel Technology, and Kallanish Commodities, as well as marketing for what was then known as ThyssenKrupp Steel USA (now AM/NS Calvert). After a five-year hiatus working across other industries, she returned to steel in 2021 and has covered the flat rolled, tubular, and trade areas of the industry. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at laura@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7869.