Nucor Announces Plans to Expand Sheet Mill in Kentucky

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nucor Corporation's (NYSE: NUE) Board of Directors approved an investment of $650 million to expand the production capability of Nucor Steel Gallatin, the company's flat-rolled sheet steel mill located in Ghent, Kentucky.  This investment will increase the production capability from 1,600,000 tons to approximately 3,000,000 tons annually and will increase the maximum coil width to approximately 73 inches. The project is expected to create 70 full-time jobs.

This expansion complements the $176 million investment currently underway to construct a hot band continuous pickle galvanizing line at Nucor Steel Gallatin.  The pickle galvanizing line is expected to be operational in the first half of 2019 and will produce approximately 500,000 tons per year of galvanized hot band steel. Nucor continues to evaluate additional expansion projects as part of the company's initiative to further grow its sheet business. 

"This investment is another major component of our planned strategy for long-term profitable growth," said John Ferriola, Chairman, CEO & President of Nucor. "Together with the new galvanizing line, this expansion increases our presence in the important Midwest market, specifically in the automotive, agriculture, heavy equipment, and energy pipe and tube sectors." Nucor acquired the former Gallatin Steel Company in late 2014 for a purchase price of approximately $780 million.

"We would like to thank Governor Matt Bevin, our local officials, East Kentucky Power Cooperative and Owen Electric, our teammates and the entire community for their support," said John Farris, Vice President and General Manager, Nucor Steel Gallatin. "The project will allow us to better serve our automotive and value-added customers."

Nucor and its affiliates are manufacturers of steel products, with operating facilities primarily in the U.S. and Canada. Products produced include: carbon and alloy steel -- in bars, beams, sheet and plate; hollow structural section tubing; electrical conduit; steel piling; steel joists and joist girders; steel deck; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold finished steel; steel fasteners; metal building systems; steel grating; and wire and wire mesh. Nucor, through The David J. Joseph Company, also brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron and HBI/DRI; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap. Nucor is North America's largest recycler.

Certain statements contained in this news release are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. The words "believe," "expect," "project," "will," "should," "could" and similar expressions are intended to identify those forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) competitive pressure on sales and pricing, including competition from imports and substitute materials; (2) U.S. and foreign trade policies affecting steel imports or exports; (3) the sensitivity of the results of our operations to prevailing steel prices and the changes in the supply and cost of raw materials, including scrap steel; (4) market demand for steel products; and (5) energy costs and availability. These and other factors are discussed in Nucor's regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those in Nucor's fiscal 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Item 1A. Risk Factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of this date, and Nucor does not assume any obligation to update them.

SOURCE Nucor Corporation