Steel on Course: Nucor Will Be Operational By the Year's End

The steel plate mill Nucor that operates in Brandenburg is still expected to be operational by the end of the year.

The $1.7 billion undertaking, which Nucor announced in March 2019, was completed in October 2020. The facility will be able to produce 1.2 million tons of finished steel plate products annually when it is finished, and it will cover about 1.5 million square feet in the Buttermilk Falls Industrial Park along the Ohio River.

Johnny Jacobs, vice president and general manager, stated, “We will be able to service about 97% of the product breadth currently available in the plate market.” Additionally, we are thrilled that the products produced here will have a significant impact on renewable energy, particularly offshore wind.

He stated that as the year comes to an end, they will continue to set and commission equipment and are finishing up structures on site. Nucor produced a significant amount of the product used to construct the facility.

According to Jacobs, “one of the fun things about a project like this is that our sister divisions have made the majority of the steel, from the fasteners to the pilings, that have gone into building this operation.” This is one of the aspects of the production. Nucor isn’t simply the biggest steel maker in the U.S., yet additionally the country’s biggest recycler.

Jacobs said, “About 75% of our finished goods will come from recyclable scrap metals.” One of the most environmentally friendly steelmaking processes is ours. According to Jacobs, construction is being completed by approximately 1,800 contractors, and Nucor is on track to fill the 400 full-time positions that were initially anticipated at the facility. 

According to Jacobs, Nucor is proud to provide stability and benefits to its employees. He said, “Since Nucor’s inception in the steelmaking sector, we have never laid off a team member.” Through great and terrible economies, in the event that you come in and take care of your business, you’ll be able to keep your Job.” He stated that Nucor’s partnerships with Meade County Schools and Elizabethtown Community and Technical College have provided resources for employee training, and Nucor is collaborating closely with them to ensure that students have career pathways.

He stated, “It has been a really great partnership with both of those.” According to Jacobs, Brandenburg was chosen for the quality of talent in the region in addition to the advantages it offered in terms of infrastructure and logistics, such as access to the Ohio River and rail. He said, “That has unquestionably demonstrated to be true.” We are excited to start working, and we are also excited about the impact that will have on the Meade County Local neighborhood for many years to come.