Nucor to invest in South Carolina steel mill

Company will add vacuum degassing to its electric arc furnace in Darlington, South Carolina.

Nucor Corp., Charlotte, North Carolina, has announced plans to add vacuum degassing to its steel mill in Darlington, South Carolina. The electric arc furnace (EAF) operation in South Carolina is Nucor’s first steel mill.

Adding the vacuum degassing system will improve the engineered bar capabilities at the bar mill, according to the company in a news release announcing the upgrade, enabling the EAF to produce engineered bar products meeting some of the most stringent quality specifications in the steel industry.

The vacuum degassing system is expected to begin operations in late 2020.

"This strategic investment complements our existing bar mills that primarily produce engineered bar products in Norfolk, Nebraska; Memphis, Tennessee; and Wallingford, Connecticut," says John Ferriola, chairman, CEO and president of Nucor. "It will position us to better serve our customers in the Southeastern United States and support the growing demand in the region for higher quality automotive and other specialty steel applications."