Nucor Corp., Charlotte,
North Carolina, held a groundbreaking event this January at the 1,700-acre site
in Apple Grove, West Virginia, that will host its
scrap-fed electric arc furnace (EAF) steel sheet mill.
A press release from Germany-based
EAF equipment and technology provider SMS Group refers to the planned mill as a
“state-of-the-art sheet mill [that] represents the largest manufacturing
investment in West Virginia history.”
To commemorate the
occasion in a way that fits the record investment, SMS Group says Nucor also
held a “record” groundbreaking by having more than “545 dedicated participants”
lined up to successfully complete a one-kilometer shovel relay and set a new
record worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“SMS was proud to be part
of this record-breaking groundbreaking ceremony and to support our valued
customer Nucor,” states the firm.
“With our circular
production method, Nucor Steel West Virginia will produce sustainable sheet
steel with some of the lowest embodied carbon in the world,” Leon Topalian,
board chair, president and CEO of Nucor remarked at the ceremony.
“We are excited that the
advanced capabilities of this mill will expand our ability to provide our
customers with the cleanest and highest-quality steel products,” added the CEO.
In addition to Topalian,
other speakers and guests attending the event represented Nucor as well as
government jurisdictions. According to SMS, they “shared the stage and their
vision and views on the new mill and what it means for economic development in
West Virginia and for manufacturing in the United States.”
SMS says it will supply
equipment to the West Virginia mill consisting of: two 210-ton direct current
EAFs; two twin-ladle metallurgy furnaces (LMFs); two vacuum tank degassers with
oxygen blowing capabilities; and seven transfer cars.
The first melt shop
activity at the EAF is currently planned for the first quarter of 2026,
according to the vendor.