Nucor Steel Arkansas held a ribbon-cutting ceremony recently for its new $230 million specialty cold mill complex at its Hickman, Arkansas, facility. The company has hired approximately 100 new workers as part of the cold mill project, which will help Nucor expand its share of the automotive steel market.
“As a world leader in steel manufacturing technology, Nucor is particularly focused on increasing productivity and efficiency, and competing in global steel production. With today’s automakers counting on steel as their material of choice to reduce vehicle weight, while at the same time improving both safety and performance, our new cold mill will be at the forefront of making these advanced high-strength steel products,” said Jay Henderson, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel Arkansas.
The new cold mill complex expands Nucor’s capability to produce automotive grade steel, namely advanced high-strength, high-strength low-alloy and motor lamination steel products. This will expand the number of products the company can make for the auto industry.
“I am thrilled that Nucor chose Hickman as the site for its new specialty cold mill complex,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “Northeast Arkansas is proud to be a longstanding leader in the steel industry, and Nucor’s investment in Mississippi County over the past 30 or so years has made a substantial economic impact to the region. I wish Nucor well as the company enters this newest phase of production and look forward to continuing our partnership with them.”
Nucor Corporation is America’s largest steel and steel products producer, with approximately 27,000 teammates working safely at 25 steel mills and more than 300 operating facilities throughout North America. Last year, Nucor produced more than 24.7 million tons of steel and more than $25 billion in revenue. Nucor is also North America’s largest recycler, using scrap steel as the primary raw material in producing its steel and steel products. In 2018, the company recycled approximately 22.2 million net tons of scrap steel.
“Mississippi County is very proud to have been chosen as the site for this Nucor expansion,” said Clif Chitwood, Mississippi County economic development director. “For over a generation, Nucor has been an important pillar of the economy of Mississippi County and Northeast Arkansas. We look forward to the continued partnership between one of America’s premium steel companies and one of America’s premiere industrial counties.”
Nucor employs approximately 1,800 teammates at four facilities in the state of Arkansas: Nucor Steel Arkansas (steel sheet), Nucor-Yamato Steel (steel beams), Calstrip Arkansas (thin-strip steel sheet), and Skyline Steel (sheet piling). Nucor’s four facilities are a major contributor to Arkansas’ economy, making Mississippi County one of the largest steel producing counties in the United States.