Big River Steel considers southern Texas mill

A newspaper based in Brownsville, Texas, has reported that Arkansas-based Big River Steel is considering locating a $1.5 billion steelmaking facility in the Brownsville area.

The online article from the Brownsville Herald quotes an individual involved in transportation support and economic activities for the Port of Brownsville as saying Brownsville is competing with Osceola, Arkansas, (the site of Big River’s current mill) for the investment. The two cities are competing to host a second scrap-fed electric arc furnace (EAF) “flex steel mill” line similar to Big River’s existing one in Osceola.

The logistics company official quoted said economic development agencies in Texas are working to assemble tax deferrals and other incentives to convince Big River to build the mill at the Port of Brownsville. Steel products made by the mill would in part “supply the automotive and vehicle component industries in Texas and Mexico,” according to the newspaper.

The newspaper’s source says Big River may be several months away from its decision, and that politicians and economic development agencies in both locations are assembling their incentive packages to compete for the mill.